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Informist, Thursday, Apr. 23, 2026

MUMBAI – US crude oil inventories, excluding those in the strategic petroleum reserves, rose by 1.9 million barrels to 465.7 million barrels in the week ended Friday, the US Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report. Analysts polled by Dow Jones had estimated a fall of 1 million barrel. US crude oil inventories were about 3% above the five-year average for this time of the year, according to the report.

Petrol inventories fell by 4.6 million barrels from the previous week to 228.4 million barrels in the week ended Friday. Analysts polled by Dow Jones had estimated petrol inventories to fall by 1.4 million barrels. Distillate fuel stocks fell by 3.4 million barrels to 108.1 million barrels during the week. Analysts polled by Dow Jones had expected a fall of 1.5 million barrels in distillate stocks. Distillate fuel stocks were around 8% below the five-year average for this time of the year.

According to the report, refinery utilisation fell to 89.1% from 89.6% the previous week. Crude oil production in the US, the largest producer of the commodity, was 13.59 million barrels per day in the week ended Friday against 13.60 million barrels last week.  

US crude oil exports fell 427,000 barrels per day to 4.80 million barrels per day, according to the report. Strategic petroleum reserves fell 4.1 million barrels to 405.0 million barrels during the week.

US crude oil imports averaged 6.1 million barrels per day during the week, up 787,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, US crude oil imports averaged around 6.0 million barrels per day, 0.4% less than the corresponding period last year.

Of the top 10 countries that export crude oil to the US, imports from two countries fell in the week ended Friday. Imports from Ecuador fell the most, by 68,000 barrels per day to nil. Imports from Iraq fell by 61,000 barrels per day to 48,000 barrels per day. On other hand, imports from Canada rose the most by 294,000 barrels per day to 3.81 million barrels per day, according to the report. 

Inventories of crude oil at Cushing, Oklahoma, a key delivery point for West Texas Intermediate crude, rose 800,000 barrels to 30.6 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 1405 IST, the most-active May contract of crude oil on the NYMEX was up ver 1% at $93.85 per barrel.

End

US$1 = INR 94.09

Reported by Taniva Siingha Roy

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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