04:05 PM EDT, 06/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Commercial crude stockpiles in the US posted a surprise build last week as motor gasoline and propane inventories climbed, government data showed Wednesday.

Inventories of crude, excluding the strategic petroleum reserve, increased by 3.6 million barrels to 460.7 million barrels through the week ended June 21, the Energy Information Administration said. The consensus estimate on Bloomberg was for a draw of 2.8 million barrels.

Total motor gasoline inventories advanced by 2.7 million barrels while propane and propylene stocks gained by 2.1 million barrels. Distillate fuel stocks decreased by 400,000 barrels, the EIA said. Total commercial petroleum inventories jumped by 8.2 millions barrels last week.

Crude-oil refinery inputs averaged 16.5 million barrels per day, which was 234,000 barrels less than the previous week's average. Refineries operated at 92.2% of their capacity last week, down from 93.5% the week before. Crude stocks were about 2% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Gasoline production decreased to 9.9 million barrels per day from 10.2 million barrels week to week. Distillate fuel output rose to 4.9 million barrels per day from 4.8 million barrels the previous week, EIA data showed.

West Texas Intermediate futures were down 0.2% to $80.65 per barrel in late afternoon trade. Brent was flat at $84.20 per barrel.

"Crude oil continues to trade within a narrowing range, which during the past year has resulted in a succession of lower highs and higher lows," Saxo Bank Head of Commodity Strategy Ole Hansen said in a Wednesday note.

Prices are being supported by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies' production curbs and "robust summer demand," he said.