EIA: US crude inventories rise for third consecutive week amid refinery maintenance
Refinery utilization edged down to 84.9% from 85% the previous week, reflecting the impact of the ongoing maintenance season. Meanwhile, total motor gasoline inventories recorded a slight draw of 200,000 barrels
US commercial crude oil inventories increased by 4.6 million barrels in the week ending 14 February 2025, marking the third straight weekly buildup, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The rise surpassed market expectations, largely due to seasonal refinery maintenance that curtailed processing capacity.
Refinery utilization edged down to 84.9% from 85% the previous week, reflecting the impact of the ongoing maintenance season. Meanwhile, total motor gasoline inventories recorded a slight draw of 200,000 barrels, settling at 247.9 million barrels. The decline was attributed to stable cold weather-related demand across the US.
Crude oil imports fell by 488,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the prior week. Over the past four weeks, imports have averaged 6.4 million bpd, representing a 0.6% year-over-year decline, underscoring a modest but sustained downward trend.
On the production front, US crude output edged up by 3,000 bpd to 13.497 million bpd, hovering near historic highs.
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Written by: Muhammad Hafiz