U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles Seen Rising for Third Straight Week

By Anthony Harrup

U.S. crude oil inventories likely increased for a third consecutive week while further withdrawals are seen in product stocks, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal.

Commercial crude oil stocks are expected to have risen by 1.7 million barrels to 429 million barrels in the week ended Oct. 2, according to the average estimate of eight analysts and traders. Forecasts range from an increase of 1 million barrels to an increase of 2.2 million barrels.

Gasoline inventories are seen falling by 1.1 million barrels to 203.3 million barrels, with estimates ranging from a 2.9 million barrel decline to an increase of 2 million barrels.

Stocks of distillate fuel, mostly diesel, are expected to have fallen by 1.5 million barrels to 103.7 million barrels, with forecasts ranging from a drop of 3.2 million barrels to a decrease of 269,000 barrels.

Refinery capacity use likely slipped by one fifth of a percentage point to 92.3%, according to the survey. Forecasts range from a 0.6 percentage point rise to 1.5 percentage point decline. One analyst didn't forecast refinery runs.

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

 
                                    Crude    Gasoline  Distillates Refinery Use 
   Again Capital                     1.3       -1.6       -1.8        0.6 
   Confluence Investment Management  1.0       -0.5       -1.0       -0.5 
   Rystad Energy                     1.8       -2.9       -3.2       -0.2 
   Excel Futures                     2.2       -1.6       -1.2       -0.4 
   Spartan Capital Securities        1.3       -0.7       -0.3        n/f 
   Mizuho                            2.0       -2.0       -2.0       -1.5 
   Price Futures Group               2.0        2.0       -0.5        0.5 
   Ritterbusch and Associates        1.6       -1.5       -2.0        0.2 
 
   AVERAGE                           1.7       -1.1       -1.5       -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

October 06, 2026 13:17 ET (17:17 GMT)