With distillate we also appear, at present to be in good shape, with demand still running about the same as last year now, averaging the numbers over the last couple of weeks.

  and with production beginning to rise

so that it is now about the same as last year, as is the current level of imports and stocks are a little ahead of last year.

So this week's news is perhaps at first that there isn't any.  However, Platts reports that DoE is anticipating stronger imports from Asia.

The US Department of Energy expects there to be strong imports into the country this coming winter from around the world, but most notably from Asia, Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Maddox told a House panel Wednesday.

     In prepared remarks for presentation to the Energy and Commerce Committee, Maddox noted that, "based on our conversation with industry, we expect that distillates will continue to enter into the US from all over the world, but especially from Asia."

Given that Platts is also quoting Exxon Mobil that the Chalmette refinery is initiating start-up procedures which is ahead of the quoted start-up that we had a reference to yesterday, at present the news would appear to be good.