HOUSTON, April 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 15.5 million barrels per day (b/d) during the week ending April 8, 424,000 b/d less than the previous week's average, according to the weekly report issued by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Wednesday.

       Refineries operated at 90.0 percent of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production increased, averaging 9.5 million b/d. Distillate fuel production decreased, averaging 4.7 million b/d.

       U.S. commercial crude oil inventories, excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, went up by 9.4 million barrels from the previous week.

       At 421.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories were about 13 percent below the five year average for this time of year.

       Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 3.6 million barrels last week, about 3 percent below the five year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline and blending components inventories both decreased.

       Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 2.9 million barrels last week, about 17 percent below the five year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories increased by 1.0 million barrels, about 19 percent below the five year average for this time of year.

       Total commercial petroleum inventories increased by 7.4 million barrels last week.

       Total products supplied over the last four week period averaged 19.9 million b/d, up by 1.3 percent from the same period last year.

       Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.6 million b/d, down by 2.3 percent from the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 3.9 million b/d over the past four weeks, down by 0.3 percent from the same period last year.

       Jet fuel product supplied was up 23.1 percent compared with the same four week period last year.