US commercial crude oil inventory ·EIA week ending August 21, 2026
US commercial crude storage holds 428.9 M bbl as of August 21, 2026, little changed on the week. It is currently building faster than usual.
The Desk's read
The build is the story here: US commercial crude inventories, the industry's working supply, climbed 4.2% over 30 days, and the trailing 4-report change sits at the 99th percentile of all such stretches in the 44-year record, its fastest since the record's build-side extremes. Yet the pile itself reads mid-range at 428.9 MM bbl as of 2026-08-21, the 82nd percentile of that record; a fast fill onto an already comfortable base leaves the working supply deep, not stretched. We track the pace into next Wednesday's EIA weekly report, watching whether the build-side stretch extends.
US commercial crude oil inventory
September 3, 2021 to August 21, 2026
Weekly US commercial crude oil stocks excluding the SPR, in millions of barrels. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report.
US crude inventories are building faster than usual. We watch them weekly.
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About this series
Commercial crude oil held in US tanks and terminals, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Reported weekly by the U.S. EIA. The headline supply number the market trades on release day.
Today's reading sits in the upper part of the EIA record going back to 1982. US commercial crude stocks are running above their typical level.
Weekly US commercial crude oil stocks excluding the SPR, in millions of barrels. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report. Updated weekly.
US crude oil inventory: common questions
- What are US commercial crude oil inventories?
- They are the volume of crude oil held in commercial tanks and terminals across the United States, excluding the government's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports the total every week in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report.
- Why do crude oil inventories move the market?
- The weekly change shows whether supply is outrunning refinery demand or falling behind it. A larger build than expected points to softer demand or heavier supply, and a draw points the other way. Traders compare the reported change to expectations, not just the level.
More questions
- What is the difference between commercial crude and the SPR?
- Commercial crude is owned by refiners, traders, and other private operators and moves with the market. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is government-owned emergency stock held in salt caverns. This page tracks the commercial total, and the SPR has its own page.
- How often are US crude oil inventories updated?
- The EIA publishes the figure every week, typically Wednesday around 10:30 a.m. Eastern for the prior Friday's week. This page reads that same EIA series and shows the latest reading with its as-of date.