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US crude stocks post surprise develop as refining slows - EIA

U.S. petroleum and fuel inventories rose all of a sudden last week as refineries slowed down running rates, the Energy Info Administration said on Wednesday.

Unrefined stocks rose by 7.3 million barrels to 460.9 million barrels in the week ended April 26, the EIA stated, compared to analysts' expectations in a survey for a 1.1 million-barrel draw.

Unrefined stocks were at the highest point considering that June, driven by a large 6.8 million-barrel rise in Gulf Coast stocks, enhancing them to their to highest since April 2023 at 261.6 million barrels, the EIA said.

Refinery unrefined runs fell by 230,000 barrels daily while refinery usage rates decreased by 1 percentage point to 87.5% of total capacity.

The crude construct is a big one. At this time of year, we ought to be drawing down on petroleum as more barrels go through the refinery. The refinery runs are a problem, stated Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

Despite what you're hearing out of profits, the refiners do not appear to have any intent of cranking up the run rates, he included.

Unrefined stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, shipment hub for U.S. futures increased by 1.1 million barrels in the week, the EIA stated.

Brent and U.S. unrefined futures both extended losses after data showed the surprise develop, with both criteria falling by more than 2% by 11:08 a.m. ET (1508 GMT).

The 7 million-barrel develop was a surprise to the market, said Andrew Lipow of Houston Oil Associates in Houston.

It is surprising that we have yet to see refinery utilization still listed below 90%, but we understand there's been an assorted mix of unscheduled failures, he added.

Gas stocks increased by 300,000 barrels in the week to 227.1 million barrels, the EIA said, compared with forecasts for a 1.1 million-barrel draw.?

Extract stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, fell by 700,000 barrels in the week to 115.9 million barrels, versus expectations for a 200,000-barrel drop, the EIA information revealed.

Net U.S. crude imports increased by 1.54 million bpd, while exports fell 1.26 million bpd to 3.92 million bpd, the EIA said.