US crude oil inventories for the week ended Mar. 6, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 7.7 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
At 451.8 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are 2% below the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 5 million bbl and are 1% above the 5-year range for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending component inventories both decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 6.4 million bbl and are about 10% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 2.9 million bbl last week and are about 34% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 15.7 million b/d for the week ended Mar. 6, about 5,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 86.4% of capacity.
Gasoline production increased, averaging 10.0 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 4.7 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.4 million b/d, up 174,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.4 million b/d, 6.5% less than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 710,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 308,000 b/d.