EIA: US crude inventories up 5.2 million bbl

US crude oil inventories for the week ended Oct. 31, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 5.2 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.

At 421.2 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 4.7 million bbl from last week and are about 5% below the 5-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending components inventories both decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 600,000 bbl last week and are about 9% below the 5-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories increased by 400,000 bbl from last week and are 15% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.

US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 15.3 million b/d for the week ended Oct. 31, which was 37,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 86% of capacity.

Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.8 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased by 211,000 b/d, averaging 4.7 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 5.9 million b/d, up 873,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 5.6 million b/d, 7.3% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 588,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 104,000 b/d.