U.S. crude supplies up, other petroleum data mixed

HOUSTON, March 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 15.9 million barrels per day (b/d) during the week ending March 25, 35,000 b/d more than the previous week's average, according to the weekly report issued by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Wednesday.

Refineries operated at 92.1 percent of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production decreased, averaging 9.1 million b/d. Distillate fuel production increased, averaging 5.1 million b/d.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories, excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 3.4 million barrels from the previous week. At 409.9 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories were about 14 percent below the five year average for this time of year.

Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 0.8 million barrels last week, almost unchanged from the five year average for this time of year.

Finished gasoline and blending components inventories both increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories went up by 1.4 million barrels, about 16 percent below the five year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories increased by 0.1 million barrels, about 23 percent below the five year average for this time of year.

Total commercial petroleum inventories increased by 1.8 million barrels last week.

Total products supplied over the last four week period averaged 20.7 million b/d, up by 8.1 percent from the same period last year.

Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.8 million b/d, up by 1.1 percent from the same period last year.

Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 4.2 million b/d over the past four weeks, up by 2.4 percent from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was up 39.1 percent compared with the same four week period last year.