Jan 5 (Reuters) – U.S. crude oil and product stockpiles were expected to have risen last week, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday.
Four analysts polled by Reuters ahead of weekly inventory data estimated on average that crude inventories rose by about 1.3 million barrels in the week to January 2. An extended poll that surveys more analysts will be published on Tuesday.
The preliminary poll was conducted ahead of weekly reports from the American Petroleum Institute at 4:30 p.m. EST (2130 GMT) on Tuesday, and the Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT) on Wednesday.
Crude inventories fell by 1.9 million barrels to 422.9 million barrels in the week ended December 26, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 867,000-barrel draw. Analysts pointed to ad valorem taxes applied to crude inventories – which typically prompt a reduction in stocks – as a reason for the drawdown.
REUTERS ACTUAL FOR PREVIOUS YR-AGO
FORECAST WEEK (EIA) WEEK CHANGE CHANGE
CHANGE ENDED WEEK
FOR WEEK 12/26/25 ENDED
ENDED 01/03/2
01/02/26 5
CRUDE 1.3 MLN 422.9 MLN -1.9 MLN -1.0
MLN
DISTILLATE 2.7 MLN 123.7 MLN 5.0 MLN 6.1
MLN
GASOLINE 3.9 MLN 234.3 MLN 5.8 MLN 6.3
MLN
REFINERY -0 PCT 94.7% 0.1 PCT PT 0.6
RUNS PT PCT PT
NATGAS -127 BCF TO -40 BCF (FOUR FORECASTS)
STORAGE
FORECAST
Analysts estimated distillate inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, increased by about 2.7 million barrels last week, while gasoline stockpiles rose by about 3.9 million barrels.
The rate of refinery utilization was estimated to be unchanged from the previous week’s capacity, the poll found.
All figures for stocks are in millions of barrels. Refinery rate changes are measured in percentage points.
Organization Crude Distillat Gasolin Refinery
e e runs
Confluence 1.500 3.000 4.000 0.5
Price Futures 3.000 2.000 2.000 0.0
Group
Ritterbusch 1.000 2.400 3.800 -0.2
Rystad Energy -0.320 3.151 6.032
(Reporting by Anjana Anil in Bengaluru; Editing by Alexander Smith)
