US crude oil inventories for the week ended Dec. 10, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 4.6 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
At 428.3 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are 7% below the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 700,000 bbl from last week and are about 6% below the 5-year range for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories remained unchanged while blending component inventories decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 2.9 million bbl from last week and are 9% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 2.4 million bbl and are about 10% below the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 15.7 million b/d for the week ended Dec. 10, about 115,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 89.8% of capacity.
Gasoline production increased, averaging 10.0 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased, averaging 4.8 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.5 million b/d, down 28,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.5 million b/d, 15.4% more than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 499,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 450,000 b/d.
