U.S. refinery utilization posted a strong rebound in the latest week, with the indicator rising 2.9% week-over-week, according to data updated on 28 May 2026 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The move marks a notable shift from the previous week, when utilization had slipped by 0.1%.
The EIA’s weekly refinery utilization rate measures the change in how intensively U.S. refineries are operating compared with the prior week. This week’s “actual” figure reflects the change versus last week, while the “previous” reading captures the change seen in that prior week compared with the one before it. The swing from a slight decline to a pronounced increase suggests refineries have ramped up activity after a brief soft patch, pointing to stronger operational momentum in the U.S. refining sector on a week-over-week basis.