Released Wednesday, the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Weekly Petroleum Status Report measures refinery crude processing at 17.1 million bbl for the week ending December 15. Rates above 17 million b/d are common during the summer months, in light of high demand, but the high average is unusual this time of year because demand is typically lower. However, the latest demand measurement – 9.4 million b/d – is the highest December demand number seen since December 2014.