U.S. crude inventories rose unexpectedly last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, helped by release of oil from the U.S. government emergency reserve as well as weaker levels of export.

Crude inventories rose by 597,000 barrels in the last week to 470.5 million barrels, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 600,000 barrel drop.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub USOICC=ECI fell by 409,000 barrels in the week to April 7, EIA said.

Stock of crude oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve declined 1.6 million, the first drawdown this year, as part of a congressionally mandated sale of 26 million barrels.

Exports of crude oil fell 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) to 2.7 million bpd, its lowest level since the first week of the year. Net U.S. crude imports rose by 1.56 million barrels per day to 3.5 million bpd, EIA said.

Oil prices edged slightly higher, with Brent futures LCOc1 trading $1.38 higher to $87 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.17 to $82.7.

Gasoline and distillate inventories fell less-than-expected in week to April 7, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

U.S. gasoline stocks fell by 300,000 barrels in the week to 222.2 million barrels, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.6 million-barrel drop.​

Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, fell by 0.6 million barrels in the week to 112.4 million barrels, versus expectations for a 800,000 barrel drop, the EIA data showed.

Refinery crude runs fell by 30,000 barrels per day in the last week, EIA said.

Refinery utilization rates fell by 0.3 percentage points in the week to 89.3%.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston; Editing by Josie Kao)