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Informist, Thursday, Mar. 19, 2026

MUMBAI – US crude oil inventories, excluding those in strategic petroleum reserves, rose 6.2 million barrels to 449.3 million barrels in the week ended Friday, the US Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report. US crude oil inventories were about 1% below the five-year average for this time of the year, according to the report. Analysts polled by Dow Jones had estimated no change in crude oil stocks from the previous week.

Petrol inventories fell 5.4 million barrels from the previous week to 244.0 million barrels in the week ended Friday. Analysts polled by Dow Jones had estimated petrol inventories to rise by 500,000 barrels. Distillate fuel stocks fell 2.5 million barrels to 116.9 million barrels during the week. Analysts polled by Dow Jones had expected a fall of 2.1 million barrels in distillate stocks. Distillate fuel stocks were around 3% below the five-year average for this time of the year. 

Refinery utilisation stood at 91.4%, according to the report. Crude oil production in the US, the largest producer of the commodity, fell 10,000 barrels per day to 13.67 million barrels per day in the week ended Friday.

US crude oil exports rose 1.46 million barrels per day to 4.89 million barrels per day, according to the report. Strategic petroleum reserves were unchanged at 415.4 million barrels during the week.

US crude oil imports averaged 7.2 million barrels per day in the latest week, up 772,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, US crude oil imports averaged around 6.7 million barrels per day, 17.8% higher than the corresponding period last year. 

Of the top 10 countries that export crude oil to the US, imports from four countries fell in the week ended Friday. Imports from Canada fell the most, by 422,000 barrels per day, to 3.8 million barrels per day. On the other hand, imports from Mexico rose the most, by 500,000 barrels per day, to 640,000 barrels per day, according to the report.

Inventories of crude oil at Cushing, Oklahoma, a key delivery point for West Texas Intermediate crude, rose 900,000 barrels to 27.5 million barrels in the week ended Friday. Cushing is the designated delivery point for NYMEX crude oil futures. Market participants closely monitor stockpiles in Cushing, which has a storage capacity of about 90 million barrels.

At 1150 IST, the most-active April contract of crude oil on the NYMEX was up 0.7% at $96.97 per barrel.

End

Reported by Abhijit Doshi

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

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