US distillate fuel oil inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, dropped to 103.4 million barrels for the week ending August 21, 2026, marking the lowest seasonal level since the EIA began tracking data in the early 1980s. These reserves sit approximately 14% below the five-year seasonal average, as record exports nearing 1.9 million barrels per day are draining domestic supplies. Diesel retail prices are already above $5.60 per gallon, and the trucking, agricultural, and home heating sectors are bracing for peak seasonal demand while inventories are at their thinnest levels in over 40 years of recordkeeping.
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