NEW YORK, Oct 7 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil inventories fell unexpectedly last week on stronger refiner demand and lower imports, according to an Energy Information Administration weekly report issued Wednesday. Commercial crude oil stocks fell 1 million barrels to 337.4 million barrels in the week to Oct. 2, EIA reported, countering analysts' projections of a 2.2 million barrel build. The latest EIA data were in line with a Tuesday report from trade group American Petroleum Institute which said U.S. crude oil stocks unexpectedly fell by 254,000 barrels last week. [API/S] EIA said U.S. imports of crude oil decreased by 435,000 barrels per day to 9.1 million bpd last week while demand for crude oil from U.S. refineries increased by 16,000 bpd to 14.61 million bpd. Refinery utilization added 0.4 percentage point to 85 percent of capacity, running counter to forecasts for an 0.4 percentage point decline. Gasoline inventory jumped 2.9 million barrels to 214.4 million barrels, besting expectations of a 1 million barrel increase. Supplies of middle distillates -- fuels which include diesel and heating oil -- gained 700,000 barrels to hit a fresh 26-year high of 171.8 million barrels, more than double forecasts for a rise of 300,000 barrels.

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