The following is the un-edited press release from the Energy Information Administration.


Summary of Weekly Petroleum Data for the Week Ending December 14, 2007

U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 15.2 million barrels per day during the week ending December 14, down 38,000 barrels per day from the previous week''s average. Refineries operated at 87.8 percent of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production moved lower compared to the previous week, averaging 9.1 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production rose last week, averaging 4.3 million barrels per day.

U.S. crude oil imports averaged 9.1 million barrels per day last week, down 952,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the last four weeks, crude oil imports have averaged 9.7 million barrels per day, or 8,000 barrels per day less than averaged over the same four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 1.1 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel imports averaged 249,000 barrels per day last week.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) dropped by 7.6 million barrels compared to the previous week. At 296.9 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are in the lower half of the average range for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 3.0 million barrels last week, but are in the lower half of the average range. Both finished gasoline inventories and gasoline blending components inventories increased during this period. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 2.1 million barrels, and are in the lower half of the average range for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories decreased by 1.7 million barrels last week.Total commercial petroleum inventories decreased by 8.3 million barrels last week, and are in the middle of the average range for this time of year.

Total products supplied over the last four-week period has averaged 20.9 million barrels per day, up by 0.9 percent compared to the similar period last year. Over the last four weeks, motor gasoline demand has averaged 9.3 million barrels per day, or 0.3 percent above the same period last year. Distillate fuel demand has averaged 4.4 million barrels per day over the last four weeks, up 4.3 percent compared to the same period last year. Jet fuel demand is 1.5 percent lower over the last four weeks compared to the same four-week period last year.


Available at:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/weekly_petroleum_status_report/current/txt/wpsr.txt