US commercial crude oil inventories, which exclude the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 1.8 million bbl during the week ended Feb. 9 from the previous week, marking the third straight week of increases.
The latest estimate is 422.1 million bbl, which puts oil in storage in the lower of the average range for this time of year, the US Energy Information Administration said.
The report also said total motor gasoline inventories increased by 3.6 million bbl and are in the upper half of the average range. Blending components inventories increased last week, while finished gasoline inventories decreased. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 500,000 bbl last week and are in the middle of the average range for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 3.3 million bbl and are in the middle of the average range, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 16.2 million b/d for the week ended Feb. 9, about 635,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 89.8% of capacity.
Gasoline production decreased, averaging 9.6 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased, averaging 4.8 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 7.9 million b/d, down by 4,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 8.1 million b/d, 5% less than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 638,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 236,000 b/d.
