US crude oil inventories for the week ended July 31, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 2.5 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

At 407.0 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 decreased by 1.6 million bbl from last week and are about 7% 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 3.5 million bbl last week and are about 12% below the 5-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories increased by 800,000 bbl from last week and are 32% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.

US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 17.2 million b/d for the week ended July 31, which was 183,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 96.5% of capacity.

Gasoline production decreased, averaging 9.6 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased, averaging 5.2 million b/d.

US crude oil imports averaged 6.2 million b/d, up 515,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 5.8 million b/d, 4.4% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 463,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 99,000 b/d.