HOUSTON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. crude oil inventories decreased during the week ending April 12, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a report on Wednesday.

According to the Weekly Petroleum Status Report, U.S. commercial crude oil inventories, excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 1.4 million barrels from the previous week.

At 455.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories were about 2 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

According to the EIA, U.S. total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 1.2 million barrels last week and were about 1 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

Finished gasoline inventories increased while blending components inventories decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 400,000 barrels last week and were about 5 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

While the propane/propylene inventories increased by 2.4 million barrels last week and were about 22 percent above the five-year average for this time of year. Total commercial petroleum inventories increased last week by 2.5 million barrels last week.