Gasoline is expensive. Diesel is worse. Social media is melting down and has apparently decided America is running out of fuel. U.S.
gasoline inventories rose 800,000 barrels last week to 207.7 million barrels, according to the EIA. Stocks are 5% below the five-year average for this time of year. Tight, certainly, but hardly empty-tankish. Refineries processed 17.3 million barrels per day last week and operated at 96.8% utilization. Gasoline production increased to 9.6 million bpd. Gasoline demand averaged 8.8 million bpd over the past four weeks,…
Refining & Products Context
Downstream margins — or crack spreads — have experienced considerable volatility as refinery operators navigate feedstock cost fluctuations, product demand seasonality, and evolving fuel specifications. Gasoline and distillate margins serve as key profitability levers for integrated refiners.
Refinery utilization rates, particularly in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Northwest European hubs, directly influence product availability and pricing. Unplanned outages, scheduled turnarounds, and weather-related disruptions are recurring factors that tighten regional product supply.
What to Watch
Key metrics to watch include refinery utilization rates, weekly distillate inventory builds or draws, and crack spread movements, which serve as real-time indicators of refining profitability across major processing hubs.
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