U.S. refinery utilization rates declined more sharply in the latest reporting week, with the indicator falling by 1.0% week-over-week, according to data updated on 16 September 2026. This follows a modest 0.2% week-over-week decrease in the previous period, pointing to a strengthening downtrend in refinery throughput.
The week-over-week comparison shows that refiners are scaling back operations more decisively than in the prior week, when the pullback was relatively mild. The “actual” figure reflects the change from the current week to the previous week, while the “previous” figure measures the change from that earlier week compared with the one before it, underscoring an acceleration in the slowdown of refining activity.
Market participants will be watching subsequent EIA releases closely to assess whether this steeper decline in utilization is temporary or the start of a more sustained contraction in U.S. refining runs, with potential implications for fuel supply and price dynamics.