US distillate fuel inventory ·EIA week ending August 21, 2026
US distillate storage holds 103.4 M bbl as of August 21, 2026, down 2.1% week over week.
The Desk's read
The diesel and heating fuel pile sits at 103.4 MM bbl as of 2026-08-21, resting in the 9th percentile of the 44-year record. That is a thin cushion of stock warranted for near-term consumption, lower than most of its history. Over 30 days the level fell 5.6%, and the trailing four-report pace registers the 16th percentile of all such stretches on record, a drain-side reading rather than a build. We track next Wednesday's EIA weekly report, watching whether the pile extends its decline from this low base.
US distillate fuel oil inventory
September 3, 2021 to August 21, 2026
Weekly US distillate fuel oil stocks, covering diesel and heating oil, in millions of barrels. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report.
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About this series
Distillate fuel oil held in US tanks and terminals, the category that covers diesel and heating oil. Reported weekly by the U.S. EIA. A gauge of freight, industrial, and winter heating supply.
Today's reading sits near the bottom of the EIA record going back to 1982. US distillate stocks are lean relative to their own history.
Weekly US distillate fuel oil stocks, covering diesel and heating oil, in millions of barrels. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report. Updated weekly.
US distillate inventory: common questions
- What is distillate fuel oil?
- Distillate is a refined product category that covers diesel fuel and heating oil. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports total US distillate stocks weekly in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report.
- Why do distillate inventories matter?
- Distillate powers freight trucks, trains, farm and industrial equipment, and heats homes in the Northeast. Stocks tend to build in the shoulder seasons and draw during winter heating and peak freight, so the weekly change is read against that pattern.
More questions
- Is distillate the same as diesel?
- Diesel is the largest part of the distillate category, but distillate also includes heating oil and other gas oils. This page tracks the combined EIA distillate total.
- How often are distillate 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.