US crude oil inventories for the week ended Feb. 17, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 7.6 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
The report was issued a day later than usual due to the closure of the federal government on Monday, Feb. 20.
At 479.0 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are 9% above the 5-year average for this time of year, the EIA report indicated.
EIA said total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 1.9 million bbl and are about 5% below the 5-year range for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories and blending component inventories both decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 2.7 million bbl and are about 12% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 3.0 million bbl and are about 33% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US refinery inputs averaged 15.0 million b/d for the week ended Feb. 17, about 17,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 85.9% of capacity.
Gasoline production increased, still averaging 9.4 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 4.7 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.3 million b/d, up 94,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged 6.7 million b/d, 3.1% more than the same period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 476,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 414,000 b/d.