Total petroleum deliveries in the U.S. for May increased 3.1 percent over May 2015, with an average of 19.7 million barrels per day, representing the best May performance
since 2008, the American Petroleum Institute (API) said.
Total motor gasoline deliveries averaged 9.4 million barrels per day in May, a 2.1 increase from May 2015 and the highest figure on record for the month. Total motor gasoline deliveries are a measure of consumer gasoline demand.
“Consumers have been enjoying low prices at the pump and are driving more,” API Chief Economist Erica Bowman said. “Demand for gasoline reached a record high for May.”
Total domestic petroleum deliveries so far this year have shown a 1.8 percent increase compared with the same period in 2015, though May’s crude oil production decreased by 7.4 percent compared with May 2015. Crude oil production levels in May, averaging 8.8 million barrels per day, represent a decrease from April of 1.7 percent.
In contrast to that decrease in production, total imports of petroleum in May increased by 1.3 percent from April’s imports and 6.3 percent from those of May 2015, to an average of 10.1 million barrels per day.
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