U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles Post Large Weekly Build

By Anthony Harrup

U.S. crude oil inventories posted their biggest weekly increase in three years as imports rose, exports fell and refineries cut their capacity use, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Commercial crude oil stocks excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve rose by 16 million barrels to 435.8 million barrels in the week ended Feb. 20 and were about 3% below the five-year average for the time of year, the EIA said. Crude stocks were expected to have risen by 1.2 million barrels, according to a Wall Street Journal survey of analysts.

Oil stored in the SPR was unchanged at 415.4 million barrels. Oil stocks at Cushing, Okla., the Nymex delivery hub, rose by 881,000 barrels to 24.9 million barrels.

The EIA estimated U.S. crude oil production at 13.7 million barrels a day, down by 33,000 barrels a day from the week before. Crude oil imports rose by 136,000 barrels a day to 6.7 million barrels a day, while exports fell by 277,000 barrels a day to 4.3 million barrels a day.

Refinery capacity use fell to 88.6% from 91% the week before, with crude input to refineries down by 416,000 barrels a day at 15.7 million barrels a day. Refinery runs were forecast to have edged up by 0.1 of a percentage point in the Journal survey.

Gasoline inventories fell by 1 million barrels to 254.8 million barrels, and were 3% above the five-year average, the EIA said. Gasoline demand was little changed at 8.7 million barrels a day. Gasoline stocks were expected to be down by 500,000 barrels.

Distillate fuel stocks rose by 252,000 barrels to 120.4 million barrels against expectations of a 1.9 million barrel draw, and were 5% below the five-year average for the time of year.

 
Change in U.S. oil inventories for the week ended Feb. 20: 
 
                   Crude       Gasoline      Distillates        Refinery Use 
EIA data:          16.0          -1.0            0.3                -2.4 
Forecast:           1.2          -0.5           -1.9                 0.1 
 

Note: Numbers in millions of barrels, with the exception of refinery use, which is in percentage points.

Write to Anthony Harrup at anthony.harrup@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 25, 2026 11:11 ET (16:11 GMT)