* Long-term gas storage 14 pct above last year * Gas demand 20 pct below seasonal norms * European LNG imports to fall on diversions - Waterborne LONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - British prompt gas prices slipped to a fresh nine-month low on Wednesday as gas storage levels were near maximum capacity and gas demand from power stations and continental Europe was weak amid mild weather conditions. Growing eurozone debt concerns and sliding crude prices drove benchmark forward gas contracts below key technical support levels. British gas for within-day and day-ahead delivery fell to the lowest level since November, trading near the 50-pence-per-therm mark. "There is full storage everywhere, LNG (liquefied natural gas) supplies haven't faltered anywhere near as much as some said they would and milder summer killed gas burn at power stations," a UK gas trader at a utility said. Long-term gas storage levels were 14 percent higher on Wednesday than the same time last year, reaching close to maximum capacity, National Grid data showed. LNG storage levels have also been at the highest in one month this week, after steady supply from the Middle East over the past weeks helped replentishing stocks.

Source