US crude oil inventories for the week ended Aug. 18, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 6.1 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
At 433.5 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are about 2% below the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories increased by 1.5 million bbl from last week and are about 5% below the 5-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending component inventories both increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 900,000 bbl and are about 16% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories increased by 1.7 million bbl and are 21% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 16.8 million b/d for the week ended Aug. 18, about 30,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 94.5% of capacity.
Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.7 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 5.1 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.9 million b/d, down 225,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.9 million b/d, 6.3% more than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 893,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 88,000 b/d.