Analysts See Small Build in U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles

By Anthony Harrup

U.S. crude oil inventories likely rose for a fourth consecutive week while product stocks are seen lower, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal.

Commercial crude stocks are expected to have risen by a half million barrels to 429.3 million barrels in the week ended Aug. 21, according to the average estimate of six analysts and traders. Three expect an increase and three predict a drop, with estimates ranging from a 3.3 million barrel build to a 1.9 million barrel draw.

Gasoline inventories are forecast to be down by 1.3 million barrels at 208.1 million barrels, with estimates ranging from a 1.1 million barrel increase to a 2.5 million barrel decline.

Stocks of distillate fuel, mostly diesel, are expected to have fallen by 1.1 million barrels to 104.5 million barrels. Forecasts range from a 2.2 million barrel draw to a 2.7 million barrel build.

Refinery capacity use is seen slipping by one tenth of a percentage point to 97.1%, with estimates ranging from a 0.7 percentage point decline to a 0.4 percentage point rise. 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                    -1.9       -1.1       -2.2        0.4 
   Rystad Energy                     1.6       -2.5       -1.9       -0.7 
   Excel Futures                     3.3        1.1       -1.6       -0.5 
   Spartan Capital Securities       -0.8       -1.8        2.7        n/f 
   Price Futures Group               3.0       -2.0       -2.0       unch 
   Ritterbusch and Associates       -1.9       -1.5       -1.5        0.3 
 
   AVERAGE                           0.5       -1.3       -1.1       -0.1 
 

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 25, 2026 13:19 ET (17:19 GMT)