EIA: US crude oil inventories up 3.9 million bbl

US crude oil inventories for the week ended Sept. 5, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 3.9 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.

At 424.6 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are about 3% 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 at the 5-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending components inventories increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 4.7 million bbl last week and are about 12% above the 5-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 1.5 million bbl from last week and are 12% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.

US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.8 million b/d for the week ended Sept. 5, which was 51,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 94.9% of capacity.
Gasoline production decreased, averaging 9.6 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased by 25,000 b/d, averaging 5.2 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 6.0 million b/d, down by 189,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.2 million b/d, 5.2% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 531,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 102,000 b/d.