U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles Fall in Week as Imports Drop - EIA

U.S. crude stocks fell unexpectedly last week as imports dropped, and gasoline and distillate inventories also declined, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Crude inventories fell by 2.6 million barrels in the last week, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 2.6 million barrels.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 905,000 barrels, EIA said.

Refinery crude runs rose by 410,000 barrels per day, EIA data showed. Refinery utilization rates rose by 1.7 percentage points.

Gasoline stocks fell by 1.7 million barrels, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 2.0 million barrels drop.

Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, fell by 2.0 million barrels, versus expectations for a 1.7 million barrels drop, the EIA data showed.

Net U.S. crude imports fell last week by 594,000 barrels per day.

Reporting By Jessica Resnick-Ault