Wedoany.com Report-Dec 05,   U.S. crude inventories, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell 5.1 million barrels in the week ended Nov. 29 from the previous week, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The EIA report showed U.S. crude oil inventories at 423.4 million barrels, about 5 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

Total gasoline inventories rose 2.4 million barrels from last week and are about 4 percent below the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said. Inventories of finished gasoline decreased last week, while stocks of blended ingredients increased. Distillate inventories rose 3.4 million barrels last week and are about 5 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

Propane-propylene inventories were down 700,000 barrels from last week and 10 percent above the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said.

U.S. crude oil refineries pumped 16.9 million barrels per day in the week ended Nov. 29, 615,000 barrels per day higher than the previous week. The refinery was operating at 93.3%.

Gasoline production was down, at 9.5 million barrels a day. Distillate production increased to 5.3 million barrels per day.

U.S. crude oil imports averaged 7.3 million barrels per day, up 1.2 million barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports have averaged about 6.9 million barrels per day, up 5.0% from the same period last year. Total gasoline imports averaged 511,000 b/d. Distillate imports averaged 116,000 b/d.