U.S. crude stocks, gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Crude inventories fell by 607,000 barrels to 414.8 million barrels in the week ended September 19, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 235,000-barrel rise.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 177,000 barrels in the week, the EIA said.

Oil futures held in positive territory following the report. Global Brent futures were trading at $68.51 a barrel, up 88 cents at 10:40 a.m. EDT (1440 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at $64.26 a barrel, up 85 cents.

Refinery crude runs rose by 52,000 barrels per day in the week, the EIA said, while utilization rates (USOIRU=ECI) fell by 0.3 percentage points in the week to 93%.

U.S. gasoline stocks fell by 1.1 million barrels in the week to 216.6 million barrels, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 150,000 barrel build.​

Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, fell by 1.7 million barrels in the week to 123 million barrels, versus expectations for a 494,000 barrel drop, the EIA data showed.

Net U.S. crude imports rose by 1.6 million barrels per day, the EIA said.
Source: Reuters