US natural gas prices fell more than 2% to around $2.73 per million British thermal units on Thursday as record production, ample inventories and a larger-than-expected storage build outweighed support from persistent late-August heat. Energy firms injected 36 billion cubic feet into storage in the week ended August 7, lifting stockpiles to 3.153 trillion cubic feet, 0.8% below a year earlier but 6.7% above the five-year average. Output in the Lower 48 averaged a record 111.2 bcfd in August, up from 110.7 bcfd in July, while gas flows to the nine major US LNG export facilities eased to 17.1 bcfd from 17.2 bcfd in July and June's record 17.4 bcfd. Hotter-than-normal weather is expected through August 28, supporting air-conditioning demand and helping limit further downside, even as about 490,000 homes and businesses remained without power after severe Midwest storms.