U.S. refinery utilization growth slowed markedly in the latest reporting week, according to EIA data updated on 12 November 2026. The week-over-week change in utilization rates eased to 0.7%, down from a 1.7% increase in the prior week, indicating a more moderate ramp-up in refinery activity.
The shift suggests refiners are pulling back from the faster pace of capacity use seen previously, potentially reflecting near-term adjustments to product demand, margins, or maintenance schedules. While utilization is still rising week-over-week, the deceleration in growth may temper expectations for further rapid gains in refined product output in the immediate term.
Market participants tracking fuel supply, crack spreads, and inventory trends will be closely watching whether this softer week-over-week increase proves temporary or marks the beginning of a steadier, slower path for U.S. refinery utilization into the coming weeks.
