U.S. commercial crude oil inventories increased by 8.1 million barrels from the previous week. At 302.6 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are in the upper half of the average range for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 7.2 million barrels last week, and are below the lower boundary of the average range. Both finished gasoline inventories and gasoline blending components inventories increased last week.
The following is the un-edited press release from the Energy Information Administration.
Summary of Weekly Petroleum Data for the Week Ending October 3, 2008
U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 14.0 million barrels per day during the week ending October 3, up 1.6 million barrels per day from the previous week\''s average. Refineries operated at 80.9 percent of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production rose last week, averaging 8.9 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production increased last week, averaging 4.0 million barrels per day.
U.S. crude oil imports averaged 10.3 million barrels per day last week, up nearly 1.4 million barrels per day from the previous week. Over the last four weeks, crude oil imports have averaged 8.7 million barrels per day, 1.5 million barrels per day below the same four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 1.4 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel imports averaged 165 thousand barrels per day last week.
U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) increased by 8.1 million barrels from the previous week. At 302.6 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are in the upper half of the average range for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 7.2 million barrels last week, and are below the lower boundary of the average range. Both finished gasoline inventories and gasoline blending components inventories increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories fell by 0.5 million barrels, and are near the lower limit of the average range for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories increased by 2.8 million barrels last week but remain slightly below the lower limit of the average range. Total commercial petroleum inventories increased by 19.6 million barrels last week, and are just above the lower boundary of the average range for this time of year.
Total products supplied over the last four-week period has averaged nearly 18.7 million barrels per day, down by 8.6 percent compared to the similar period last year. Over the last four weeks, motor gasoline demand has averaged nearly 8.8 million barrels per day, down by 5.3 percent from the same period last year. Distillate fuel demand has averaged 3.8 million barrels per day over the last four weeks, down by 8.3 percent from the same period last year. Jet fuel demand is 5.5 percent lower over the last four weeks compared to the same four-week period last year.
