HOUSTON, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Both of U.S. crude oil imports and exports increased during the week ending Feb. 18, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a report released on Thursday.
U.S. crude oil imports averaged 6.8 million barrels per day (b/d) last week, up by about 1.04 million b/d from the previous week, while crude oil exports averaged about 2.69 million b/d, up by about 415,000 b/d from the previous week, according to the Weekly Petroleum Status Report.
Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.5 million b/d, 14.1 percent more than the same four-week period last year.
During the same period, crude oil exports averaged about 2.6 million b/d, down by about 461,000 b/d year on year.
The United States has been one of the world's important oil producers in past years with the help of its shale oil production growth. ■