WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The overall petroleum demand in the United States rose in September in tandem with a gradually improving economy, said the American Petroleum Institute (API) in a report released Friday.
The total petroleum deliveries, a measure of demand, rose 2.7 percent in September from a year ago to average 18.6 million barrels per day, said the API in its monthly report.
In September, gasoline deliveries edged up to average 8.7 million barrels per day, 2.1 percent up from the 2012 level.
In contrast, U.S. domestic crude oil production in September increased 18.6 percent from a year earlier to average 7.8 million barrels per day, marking the highest September output in 25 years.
With the surging domestic energy production, imports of crude oil and refined products in September averaged 10.0 million barrels per day, the lowest for the month in 17 years.
API represents more than 500 oil and natural gas companies which supply most of the energy consumed in the United States and support an estimated 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy.
