The public testing period previously announced on November 15, 2012, has been successfully completed. As a result, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) will implement publication of the new Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR) web products, beginning on January 17, 2013. Details about changes to the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR) are listed below.

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The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is changing the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR) for the following:

• The table will now include subtotals for salt dome and nonsalt facilities for the Producing Region
• A new file format JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) will be introduced for easier data exchange
• The WNGSR web pages will also be updated to match the look of the rest of EIA's website

The web address, existing filenames, and EIA's Gatekeeper delivery methodology will remain unchanged.

Testing will be provided. Dates and times are listed below. We ask that customers who normally access the data at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays for their participation.

Files that will contain the new subtotals for salt dome and nonsalt facilities in the Producing Region are:

• ngs.html
• weekly.csv
• ngshistory.xls
• wngsr.json (NEW)

TESTING

The test version of WNGSR is located at: http://ir.eia.gov/ngs_test/ngs.html.

Testing will be under the same conditions that we normally use to release the data at 10:30 a.m. We will conduct four tests for the WNGSR.

Day	Date	Product	Time	Test Scenarios
Tuesday	November 27, 2012	WNGSR	11:00 a.m.	Sept. 14, 2012 data replacing Sept. 7, 2012
Friday	November 30, 2012	WNGSR	11:00 a.m.	Sept. 21, 2012 data replacing Sept. 14, 2012
Tuesday	December 4, 2012	WNGSR	11:00 a.m.	Sept. 28, 2012 data replacing Sept. 21, 2012
Friday	December 7, 2012	WNGSR	11:00 a.m.	Oct. 5, 2012 data replacing Sept. 28, 2012

The four tests will use sample data files containing previously released data from early September 2012. As each test occurs, the test file will be replaced with data for the next week.

You can access the data how you normally do or use the new JSON file. Please start your test to access the data five minutes before the scheduled test release time. Trying to access the site during that time period will result in a 503 error - "Page Temporarily Unavailable," and a message stating that the data will be automatically sent to your PC in "x" number of seconds. ONCE YOU RECEIVE THIS "503 ERROR" YOU NEED DO NOTHING FURTHER.

The test data will be automatically released to you precisely as scheduled above. We are confident that you will have no problems. For robot customers scraping the html, you will probably need to make some changes to your code. We encourage you to take advantage of the JSON file to eliminate these or any future changes.

If you have any questions prior to or after the test, please contact us at: gatekeeper@eia.gov.

After tests have concluded we will announce the implementation date for these changes.

If you are receiving this message and are not the individual who normally accesses the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report for your organization, please pass this information on to the responsible person.

Detailed testing instructions:

Test directory address: http://ir.eia.gov/ngs_test/ngs.html.

1. Five minutes before the scheduled time on the test day, access the test product with the appropriate URL.

2. After you have accessed the test URL, you will receive a customized "503 Error - Page Temporarily Unavailable" like the one below:

503 - Sorry! This file is temporarily unavailable. A new version of this file is currently pending release. This page should automatically refresh to download the new release at 11:00:00 AM (in 56 seconds) If it does not, click here to manually re-try. (Estimated time remaining: 56 seconds)

3. Once you receive the 503 error page, DO NOTHING ELSE. The file you requested will be automatically delivered to you when it is released.

4. Following the test, please email EIA at gatekeeper@eia.gov and let us know how the test worked at your location.

5. If you are not the individual who normally accesses the WNGSR for your organization, please pass this information on to the responsible person. If you have any questions prior to the test, please contact EIA at gatekeeper@eia.gov.

NOTE: Any automated retrieval program that excessively accesses information from EIA's website is prohibited. Excessive robot activity on EIA's website can cause delays and interfere with other customers' timely access to information. The EIA is committed to promptly release information according to established schedules. The EIA retains the right to limit or deny the use of any robotic activity that EIA considers an excessive or malicious practice (for example, robots that access or download information from EIA websites multiple times per second).