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


Summary of Weekly Petroleum Data for the Week Ending March 9, 2007

U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 14.6 million barrels per day during the week ending March 9, down 165,000 barrels per day from the previous week''s average. Refineries operated at 85.6 percent of their operable capacity last week. Despite the decline in crude oil inputs, gasoline production increased compared to the previous week, averaging over 8.7 million barrels per day, while distillate fuel production decreased, averaging over 3.9 million barrels per day.

U.S. crude oil imports averaged 9.8 million barrels per day last week, up 930,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the last four weeks, crude oil imports have averaged nearly 9.5 million barrels per day, or 382,000 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 910,000 barrels per day. Distillate fuel imports averaged 322,000 barrels per day last week.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) increased by 1.1 million barrels compared to the previous week. At 325.3 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are above the upper end of the average range for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories dropped by 2.5 million barrels last week, and are in the upper half of the average range.

Distillate fuel inventories declined by 2.8 million barrels, and are also in the upper half of the average range for this time of year. Most of the decline was in high-sulfur distillate fuel (heating oil) inventories, while diesel fuel inventories (the sum of ultra-low-sulfur and low-sulfur) also declined, but by a much smaller amount. Propane/propylene inventories fell by 1.0 million barrels last week. Total commercial petroleum inventories decreased by 2.6 million barrels last week, and are in the upper end of the average range for this time of year.

Total products supplied over the last four-week period has averaged 21.5 million barrels per day, or 5.3 percent above the same period last year. Over the last four weeks, motor gasoline demand has averaged nearly 9.2 million barrels per day, or 2.8 percent above the same period last year. Distillate fuel demand has averaged 4.6 million barrels per day over the last four weeks, or 5.5 percent above the same period last year. Jet fuel demand is up 4.7 percent 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