US crude oil inventories for the week ended Dec. 20, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 5.5 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration released Dec. 27.
At 441.4 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are 2% above the 5-year average for this time of year, the report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories increased by 2.0 million bbl and are about 5% above the 5-year range for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending component inventories both increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 200,000 bbl and are about 8% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 2.6 million bbl last week and are about 10% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 17.0 million b/d for the week ended Dec. 20, about 419,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 93.3% of capacity.
Gasoline production increased, averaging 10.3 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 5.4 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.8 million b/d, up by 230,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.6 million b/d, 11.5% less than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 594,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 248,000 b/d.
