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October Petroleum Demand up 1.3 Percent (includes Monthly Statistical Report)

WASHINGTON, November 21, 2013 ─ Total U.S. petroleum deliveries (a measure of demand) rose 1.3 percent from October 2012 to average just below 19.0 million barrels per day last month.

“Domestic crude oil production hit a 25-year October high last month while imports fell to a 17-year October low,” said API Chief Economist John Felmy. “The United States continues to meet more and more of its demand with energy produced here at home.”

Demand for gasoline was up by 2.6 percent from October 2012 to average 8.9 million barrels per day. These were the highest October deliveries since 2010. Distillate demand increased by 3.3 percent over the same period to just below 4.0 million barrels per day. Compared to October 2012, deliveries of “other oils” rose 3.4 percent, jet fuel demand increased by 1.6 percent to the third lowest level for the month since 1993, and deliveries of residual fuel decreased 38.3 percent to an all-time low of 192 thousand barrels per day in October.

U.S. gross refinery inputs fell 4.9 percent from September but rose 1.6 percent from October 2012. This was the lowest level in six months with some refineries on reduced runs due to turnaround and maintenance. Exports of refined petroleum products decreased by 2.7 percent from September but rose by 9.2 percent from October 2012 to nearly 3.6 million barrels per day. This was the highest level for the month on record.

Production of gasoline fell 2.2 percent from last year to just above 8.9 million barrels per day, the lowest October level since 2009. Year to date gasoline production increased by 1.9 percent compared with the same period last year and was the highest year to date level on record. Production of distillate fuel was up by 9.5 percent from last year to reach an all-time high of 4.9 million barrels per day.

Domestic crude oil production increased by 11.7 percent from October 2012 but edged down 0.1 percent from September to nearly 7.8 million barrels per day in October. This was the highest level for the month in 25 years. According to the latest reports from Baker-Hughes, Inc., the number of oil and gas rigs in the U.S. in October was 1,744, down from September count of 1,760. This was the lowest count in 31 months, since March 2011.

Crude oil stocks rose 1.6 percent from last October to 382.2 million barrels. This was the highest October inventory level in 83 years, since 1930. Stocks of motor gasoline ended up 4.4 percent from last year at 212.0 million barrels in October. Distillate fuel oil stocks grew by 2.7 percent to 121.8 million barrels over the same period, hitting the second lowest October inventory level in nine years.

U.S. total imports and crude oil imports both fell to their lowest October levels in 17 years last month. Total imports dropped 0.1 percent to average just over 10.0 million barrels per day in October while crude oil imports fell 0.5 percent to 8.1 million barrels per day. Imports of refined products increased by 1.4 percent from October 2012 to average just below 2.0 million barrels per day. This was the second lowest level for the month in 16 years.

The refinery capacity utilization rate averaged 86.4 percent in October, down 4.4 percentage points from September and down 0.7 percentage points from the same period last year. API’s latest refinery operable capacity was 17.818 million barrels per day, up 2.4 percent from last year’s capacity of 17.402 million barrels per day.

API is a national trade association that represents all segments of America’s technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 550 members – including large integrated companies, exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms – provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of over 15 million Americans. The industry also supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $85 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.