EIA: US crude inventories decline, gasoline stockpiles rise

Jan. 18, 2018
US commercial crude inventories, excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, declined 6.9 million bbl during the week ended Jan. 12 compared with the previous week’s total, the US Energy Information Administration said in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report.

US commercial crude inventories, excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, declined 6.9 million bbl during the week ended Jan. 12 compared with the previous week’s total, the US Energy Information Administration said in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report.

EIA released the report a day later than normal due to the government’s closure on Jan. 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

At 412.7 million bbl, US crude inventories are in the middle of the average range for this time of year.

EIA said total motor gasoline inventories gained 3.6 million bbl last week and are in the middle half of the average range for this time of year. Both finished gasoline inventories and blending components increased last week.

Distillate fuel inventories fell by 3.9 million bbl last week and are in the lower half of the average range for this time of year, EIA reported.

US crude refinery inputs averaged 16.9 million b/d, down 448,000 b/d from the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 93% of their operable capacity last week.

Gasoline production increased last week to 9.7 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased last week, averaging 5.1 million b/d.

US crude imports averaged 8 million b/d, up 292,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude imports averaged 7.9 million b/d, down 3.7% from the same 4-week period last year.

Total motor gasoline imports, including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components, averaged 396,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 147,000 b/d last week.