US crude oil inventories for the week ended Dec. 15, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 2.9 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
At 443.7 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are about 1% below the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories increased by 2.7 million bbl from last week and are about 2% below the 5-year range for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending components inventories increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 1.5 million bbl and are about 10% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 2.2 million bbl from last week and are 19% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.5 million b/d for the week ended Dec. 15, about 403,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 92.4% of capacity.
Gasoline production increased, averaging 10.0 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased, averaging 4.9 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.8 million b/d, up 233,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.7 million b/d, 7.6% more than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 537,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 255,000 b/d.