US crude oil inventories for the week ended Mar. 27, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 13.8 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
At 469.2 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are near the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories increased by 7.5 million bbl and are 4% 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 2.2 million bbl and are about 13% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 300,000 bbl last week and are about 29% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 14.9 million b/d for the week ended Mar. 27, about 900,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 82.3% of capacity.
Gasoline production decreased, averaging 7.5 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 5.0 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.0 million b/d, down 70,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.3 million b/d, 6.9% less than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 736,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 127,000 b/d.