EIA: US crude inventories up 600,000 bbl

US crude oil inventories for the week ended Nov. 28, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 600,000 bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.

At 427.5 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 4.5 million bbl from last week and are about 2% below the 5-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending components inventories both increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 2.1 million bbl last week and are about 7% below the 5-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 700,000 bbl from last week and are about 15% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.

US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.9 million b/d for the week ended Nov. 28, which was 433,000 b/d more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 94.1% of capacity.

Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.8 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased by 53,000 b/d, averaging 5.1 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 6.0 million b/d, down 456,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 5.9 million b/d, 14.4% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 772,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 190,000 b/d.