US crude oil inventories for the week ended Dec. 13, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 900,000 bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
At 421.0 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 increased by 2.3 million bbl from last week and are about 3% below the 5-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories decreased while blending components increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 3.2 million bbl last week and are about 7% below the 5-year average for this time of year.
Propane-propylene inventories decreased by 3.0 million bbl from last week and are 7% above the 5-year average for this time of year, EIA said.
US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.6 million b/d for the week ended Dec. 13, which was 48,000 b/d less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 91.8% of capacity.
Gasoline production decreased, averaging 9.9 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased, averaging 5.1 million b/d.
US crude oil imports averaged 6.6 million b/d, up by 665,000 b/d from the previous week. Over the last 4 weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.5 million b/d, 2.1% less than the same 4-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports averaged 755,000 b/d. Distillate fuel imports averaged 164,000 b/d.