EIA: US crude inventories up 3.7 million bbl as federal government shutdown continues

US crude oil inventories for the week ended Oct. 3, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 3.7 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Release of the data Oct. 3 comes as the closure of the federal government continues. EIA said it is continuing normal publication schedules and data collection until further notice.

At 420.3 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are about 4% below the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.

EIA said total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 1.6 million bbl from last week and are about 1% below the 5-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories increased while blending components inventories decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 2.0 million bbl last week and are about 6% below the 5-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 2.9 million bbl from last week and are 9% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.

US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.3 million b/d for the week ended Oct. 3, about 130,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 92.4% of capacity.

Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.8 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased by 210,000 b/d, averaging 5.2 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 6.4 million b/d, up 570,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.1 million b/d, 4.8% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 627,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 132,000 b/d.