Crude Oil Summary (EIA):
U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.6 million barrels per day during the week ending December 22, 2023, which was 109 thousand barrels per day more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 93.3% of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 10.0 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production increased last week, averaging 5.1 million barrels per day. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 6.3 million barrels per day last week, decreased by 415 thousand barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.7 million barrels per day, 8.2% more than the same four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 521 thousand barrels per day, and distillate fuel imports averaged 238 thousand barrels per day. U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) decreased by 6.9 million barrels from the previous week. At 436.6 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 1% below the five year average for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 0.6 million barrels from last week and are about 2% below 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 0.8 million barrels last week and are about 9% below the five year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories decreased by 3.7 million barrels from last week and are 13% above the five year average for this time of year. Total commercial petroleum inventories decreased by 17.3 million barrels last week. Total products supplied over the last four-week period averaged 20.7 million barrels a day, down by 0.5% from the same period last year. Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.8 million barrels a day, up by 1.6% from the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 3.8 million barrels a day over the past four weeks, up by 0.8% from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was up 2.7% compared with the same four-week period last year. The West Texas Intermediate crude oil price was $73.29 per barrel on December 22, 2023, $2.24 higher than last week’s price, but $6.28 less than the price one year ago. The spot price for conventional gasoline at New York Harbor fell $0.087 to $2.196 per gallon, $0.268 less than last year’s price. The New York Harbor spot price for No. 2 heating oil increased $0.112 to $2.623 per gallon, $0.448 below the year-ago price. The national average retail price for regular gasoline rose to $3.116 per gallon on December 25, 2023, $0.063 more than last week’s price, and $0.025 higher than the price a year ago. The national average retail diesel fuel price increased $0.020 to $3.914 per gallon, $0.623 less than the price last year.