US crude oil inventories for the week ended July 17, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 2.0 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

At 411.7 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are about 6% below the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.

EIA said total motor gasoline inventories increased by 800,000 bbl from last week and are 7% 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 1.4 million bbl last week and are about 10% below the 5-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories increased by 6.3 million bbl from last week and are 34% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.

US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 17.1 million b/d for the week ended July 17, which was 58,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 96.1% of capacity.

Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.7 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 5.3 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 5.8 million b/d, up 117,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 5.6 million b/d, 11.4% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 494,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 173,000 b/d.