EIA now provides weekly estimates of U.S. crude oil storage capacity utilization with the Weekly Petroleum Status Report (WPSR). We will provide this information for an indeterminate period of time to help stakeholders better assess current market conditions. We will report the most recent crude oil storage capacity utilization estimates for the United States in total and for each of the five PADD regions separately.

Weekly U.S. and regional crude oil stocks and working storage capacity XLS - Release date: February 14, 2024

To estimate current working storage capacity utilization, we compare weekly reported crude oil stocks (excluding pipeline fill and estimated barrels in transit by tanker ship, barge, rail, or truck) with the latest available monthly refinery and tank farm storage capacity. We base utilization estimates on the ratio of stock levels to working storage capacity, which we define as the difference in volume between the maximum safe fill capacity and the quantity below which pump suction is ineffective (bottoms). Working storage capacity accounts for normal operational factors that limit storage capacity. Working storage capacity is normally less than shell storage capacity, which we define as the design capacity of a petroleum storage tank or cavern.

We update storage capacity and stocks in transit data using the last available data from the Working and Net Available Shell Storage Capacity report report. Prior to data for March 2020, we updated the Working and Net Available Shell Storage Capacity report twice each year with data for March and September. Beginning with data for March 2020, we update the Working and Net Available Shell Storage Capacity report once each year with data as of March 31. When updating storage capacity and stocks in transit data for the Weekly U.S. and Regional Crude Oil Stocks and Working Storage Capacity report, we use the most recent available data for storage capacity and stocks in transit, beginning with updates for the last Friday in March (or April 1). In the past four years, we used storage capacity and stocks in transit data in the Weekly U.S. and Regional Crude Oil Stocks and Working Storage Capacity report according to the following schedule.

• Data for September 30, 2019, for weeks ending January 17, 2020–March 20, 2020
• Data for March 31, 2020, for weeks ending March 27, 2020–March 19, 2021
• Data for March 31, 2021, for weeks ending March 26, 2021–March 25, 2022
• Data for March 31, 2022, for weeks ending April 1, 2022 - March 24, 2023
• Data for March 31, 2023, for weeks ending March 31, 2023 - present

We revise storage capacity and stocks in transit each year when we release the Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA). We incorporate revised storage capacity and stocks in transit into the Weekly U.S. and Regional Crude Oil Stocks and Storage Capacity report after we release the PSA.

Working storage capacity utilization estimates represent the average utilization for all respondents within a region. Some portion of working storage capacity remains unused at any given time to allow for normal functioning of petroleum storage and transportation systems. For example, storage may be held empty in preparation to receive barrels from incoming vessels or for other operational considerations.