U.S. refinery utilization rates accelerated notably in the latest weekly data, signaling a stronger pickup in refining activity. According to figures updated on 13 May 2026, the week-over-week change in utilization reached 1.6%, compared with a previous increase of just 0.5%.
The data, released as part of the EIA’s weekly update, show that the current week’s gain in refinery utilization more than tripled the prior week’s change. The comparison is based on how much utilization shifted versus the immediately preceding week, highlighting a clear step-up in operational throughput across U.S. refineries.
While headline levels of utilization are not provided, the sharper week-on-week increase may reflect rising seasonal fuel demand, ongoing adjustments to product inventories, or refiners responding to market price signals. Market participants will be watching subsequent EIA releases to see whether this stronger pace of utilization growth is sustained in the coming weeks.
