EIA: US crude oil inventories increase by 2.8 million b/d

US crude oil inventories, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 2.8 million bbl for the week ended Nov. 21, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.

The latest estimated total of crude supplies was 426.9 million bbl, about 4% below the 5-year average for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 2.5 million bbl and are about 3% below the 5-year average. Finished gasoline inventories decreased while blending components inventories increased.

Distillate fuel inventories increased by 1.1 million bbl and are about 5% below the 5-year average. Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 1.1 million bbl and are about 16% above the 5-year average.

US refinery inputs averaged 16.4 million b/d for the week, which was 211,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 92.3% of capacity.

Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.6 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased by 87,000 b/d, averaging 5.0 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 6.4 million b/d, up by 486,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 5.9 million b/d, 11.2% less than the same 4-week period last year.

Total motor gasoline imports, including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components, for the week ended Nov. 21 averaged 658,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 199,000 b/d.