Crude Oil Summary (EIA):
U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.7 million barrels per day during the week ending December 29, 2023, which was 121 thousand barrels per day more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 93.5% of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 8.8 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production increased last week, averaging 5.2 million barrels per day. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 6.9 million barrels per day last week, increased by 619 thousand barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.6 million barrels per day, 7.0% more than the same four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 659 thousand barrels per day, and distillate fuel imports averaged 194 thousand barrels per day. U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) decreased by 5.5 million barrels from the previous week. At 431.1 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 2% below the five year average for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 10.9 million barrels from last week and are slightly above the five year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories decreased, while blending components inventories increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 10.1 million barrels last week and are about 6% below the five year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories decreased by 2.0 million barrels from last week and are 13% above the five year average for this time of year. Total commercial petroleum inventories increased by 6.9 million barrels last week. Total products supplied over the last four-week period averaged 20.6 million barrels a day, up by 0.6% from the same period last year. Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.7 million barrels a day, up by 2.7% from the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 3.6 million barrels a day over the past four weeks, down by 1.5% from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was up 2.1% compared with the same four-week period last year. The West Texas Intermediate crude oil price was $71.89 per barrel on December 29, 2023, $1.40 less than last week’s price, and $8.27 lower than the year-ago price. The spot price for conventional gasoline at New York Harbor fell to $2.159 per gallon, $0.037 less than a week ago and $0.458 below last year’s price. The New York Harbor spot price for No. 2 heating oil declined $0.109 to $2.444 per gallon, $0.684 less than the year-ago price. The national average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $3.089 per gallon on January 1, 2023, $0.027 below last week’s price, and $0.134 less than the price a year ago. The national average retail diesel fuel price dropped $0.038 to $3.876 per gallon, $0.707 less than the year-ago price.