April 26 (Reuters) - Canada's Imperial Oil ( IMO ) saw

higher profit in its first quarter on Friday as the integrated

oil firm was helped by resilient demand for fuel amid tight

supply conditions, but saw maintenance activities weighing on

throughput volumes.

While analysts had expected a profit of C$2.03 per

share, the Calgary-based company said its net profit stood at

C$1.2 billion, or C$2.23 per share in the quarter ended March

31.

Refining margins have eased from sky-high levels in

2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine disrupted crude

supplies. Profits stabilized through last year on weaker

economic activity and an increase in global refining capacity.

The company reported refinery throughput volumes of

407,000 bpd, which fell from 417,000 bpd in the same reporting

period last year and was lower than the 415,000 bpd estimated by

analysts, according to LSEG, due to maintenance activities.

Throughput is the amount of petroleum product that moves

through a refinery in a particular period.

Imperial, which is majority-owned by energy major Exxon

Mobil ( XOM ), said upstream production was 421,000 gross

barrels of oil equivalent per day in the first quarter, up from

413,000 gross boepd last year, but less than analysts'

expectation of 422.5 boepd, according to LSEG data.