Analysts See Modest Decline in U.S. Crude Oil Inventories

By Anthony Harrup

U.S. crude oil inventories likely posted a small draw last week along with declines in product stocks as refinery capacity use eased, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal.

Commercial crude oil stocks are seen falling by 600,000 barrels to 406.4 million barrels for the week ended Aug. 7, according to the average estimate of seven analysts and traders. Three expect an increase and four predict a fall, with forecasts ranging from a 2.2 million barrel increase to a 3 million barrel decline.

Gasoline inventories are expected to have decreased by 1.3 million barrels to 208.4 million barrels. Estimates range from 2.6 million barrel drop to 1 million barrel build.

Stocks of distillate fuel, mostly diesel, are seen declining by 1.6 million barrels to 105.6 million barrels, with forecasts ranging from a withdrawal of 798,000 barrels to a drop of 2.8 million barrels.

Refinery capacity use likely eased by one fifth of a percentage point to 96.3%, with estimates ranging from a half percentage point rise to a 0.8 percentage point decline. One analyst didn't forecast refinery runs.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration is scheduled to release the inventory data on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

 
                                    Crude    Gasoline  Distillates Refinery Use 
   Again Capital                    -1.8       -1.1       -1.4       -0.8 
   Rystad Energy                     2.2       -1.9       -0.8       -0.2 
   Excel Futures                    -3.0       -1.3       -2.8       -0.4 
   Spartan Capital Securities        0.6       -2.3       -1.1        n/f 
   Mizuho                           -1.0       -1.0       -2.0       -0.5 
   Price Futures Group              -2.0        1.0       -2.0       unch 
   Ritterbusch and Associates        1.0       -2.6       -1.2        0.5 
 
   AVERAGE                          -0.6       -1.3       -1.6       -0.2 
 

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

n/f = no forecast

unch = unchanged

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 11, 2026 13:22 ET (17:22 GMT)