--- source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) url: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/weekly/ document_type: html (synthetic aggregate from indicators) date_retrieved: 2026-03-17 report_period: Week Ending February 27, 2026 report_release_date: March 4, 2026 parent_publication: Weekly Petroleum Status Report indicators_covered: - Distillate Fuel Production - Gasoline Stocks Change - Crude Oil Imports - Gasoline Production - Heating Oil Stocks - Crude Oil Stocks Change - Refinery Crude Runs - Distillate Stocks - Cushing Crude Oil Stocks --- # Weekly Petroleum Status Report ## Week Ending February 27, 2026 ### Overview The U.S. Energy Information Administration released its weekly petroleum status report on March 4, 2026, providing comprehensive data on crude oil stocks, petroleum product supplies, and refinery operations for the week ending February 27, 2026. The report shows mixed signals across major petroleum indicators, with notable divergences between production gains and inventory positions. --- ## Crude Oil ### Crude Oil Stocks Change The most closely watched indicator, **crude oil stocks increased by 3.475 million barrels** during the week ending February 27, compared to a forecast of 2.3 million barrels and the previous week's build of 15.989 million barrels. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +3.475 million barrels - **Previous week:** +15.989 million barrels - **Forecast:** 2.3 million barrels - **Assessment:** Build below the prior week's pace but slightly exceeding expectations. The moderation in builds follows a sharp accumulation trend and suggests continued inventory management. ### Crude Oil Imports U.S. crude oil imports contracted sharply during the week. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** -19,000 barrels per day (0.019 million bbl/d) - **Previous:** +412,000 barrels per day (0.412 million bbl/d) - **Change:** -431,000 bbl/d decline week-over-week **Assessment:** The swing from import growth to contraction reflects declining import demand and possible refinery throughput adjustments. ### Cushing Crude Oil Stocks Change Storage conditions at the Cushing, Oklahoma hub (excluding Strategic Petroleum Reserve) improved with a build in inventory. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +1.564 million barrels - **Previous:** +0.881 million barrels - **Assessment:** Increased inflows to the primary crude storage hub, up from the prior week's accumulation rate. Cushing remains a critical barometer for domestic supply dynamics and pipeline utilization. --- ## Gasoline ### Gasoline Stocks Change Gasoline inventories posted a notable weekly decline. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** -1.704 million barrels - **Forecast:** -0.8 million barrels - **Previous:** -1.011 million barrels - **Assessment:** Draw exceeded expectations by 0.9 million barrels. Sustained demand and seasonal factors are contributing to inventory reduction. The consecutive weekly draws signal robust implied demand or supply adjustments. ### Gasoline Production Refinery production of gasoline rebounded sharply after the prior week's decline. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +0.119 million bbl/d (119,000 bbl/d) - **Previous:** -0.223 million bbl/d (-223,000 bbl/d) - **Change:** +342,000 bbl/d swing from prior week **Assessment:** Strong production rebound reflects increased refinery utilization and output capacity returns to normal operations. --- ## Distillate Fuel Oil (Heating Oil / Diesel) ### Distillate Stocks Change Distillate stocks increased modestly during the week. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +0.429 million barrels - **Forecast:** -2.6 million barrels - **Previous:** +0.252 million barrels - **Assessment:** Unexpected build, contrary to a forecast draw of 2.6 million barrels. The continuation of inventory accumulation (second consecutive week) suggests production exceeding withdrawal demand, possibly reflecting seasonal dynamics in late winter heating season. ### Distillate Fuel Production Distillate production increased significantly. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +0.061 million bbl/d (61,000 bbl/d) - **Previous:** -0.136 million bbl/d (-136,000 bbl/d) - **Change:** +197,000 bbl/d improvement from prior week **Assessment:** Production recovery follows the prior week's decline, returning to positive territory and supporting stock accumulation. ### Heating Oil Stocks Change Heating oil and other distillate stocks rose during the week. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +0.355 million barrels - **Previous:** -0.119 million barrels - **Change:** +0.474 million barrel swing from prior week **Assessment:** Shift from draws to builds reflects seasonal demand normalization and adequate supply conditions as the heating season moderates. --- ## Refinery Operations ### Refinery Crude Runs Change Refinery crude throughput (the volume of crude oil consumed by refineries) increased during the week. **Key metrics:** - **Actual:** +0.18 million bbl/d (180,000 bbl/d) - **Previous:** -0.416 million bbl/d (-416,000 bbl/d) - **Change:** +596,000 bbl/d improvement from prior week **Assessment:** Strong operational recovery after the prior week's contraction. The significant week-over-week improvement in runs supports the observed gains in gasoline and distillate production. --- ## Summary Assessment **Week Ending February 27, 2026** The petroleum complex showed **mixed dynamics** during the week: 1. **Crude Oil:** Moderate inventory build (3.475 Mbbl) with easing import demand signals cautious positioning. Cushing accumulation continues. 2. **Refined Products:** - Gasoline: Sharp stock draw (-1.704 Mbbl) with production recovery, indicating steady demand - Distillate: Unexpected inventory build (0.429 Mbbl in bulk distillate stocks), contrary to forecasts, reflecting early season demand moderation 3. **Refinery Operations:** Strong operational recovery (+180,000 bbl/d in crude runs) supports production gains across both gasoline and distillate categories. 4. **Demand Signals:** The combination of gasoline stock draws against modest crude builds suggests healthy product withdrawal demand remains balanced against crude inflows. --- ## Data Quality Notes - All stock changes reported in millions of barrels - Production and imports reported in millions of barrels per day (Mbbl/d) or thousands of barrels per day (Kbbl/d) - Stocks data represents inventory levels held domestically, inclusive of Strategic Petroleum Reserve (noted separately for Cushing) - Week ending dates represent the close of business Friday evening - Data subject to revisions in subsequent weekly reports --- ## Source Reference **Publication:** Weekly Petroleum Status Report **Agency:** U.S. Energy Information Administration **Release Date:** March 4, 2026 **Data Period:** Week Ending February 27, 2026 **Data URL:** https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/weekly/ **Frequency:** Weekly (Wednesday afternoons, 10:30 AM ET)