US ethanol demand spikes to 15.94 billion gallons annual pace

In Washington, according to EIA data as analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production averaged 1.040 million barrels per day (b/d)—a pace equivalent to 15.94 billion gallons per year. Weekly output grew by 25,000 b/d (383 mil. gal. annualized), up 2.5% over the prior week. After narrowing for four straight weeks, the four-week average for ethanol production marched higher to 1.036 million b/d (15.88 bil. gal. per year).

Stocks of ethanol leapt 2.6% to a 29-week high of 24.0 million barrels (1.01 billion gallons). This is nearly 12% higher than at the same time last year. Imports of ethanol were 71,000 b/d (1.088 bil. gal. annualized)—the first time in 5 weeks that volumes were logged and only the third week of imports this year. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of August 2018.) Average weekly gasoline demand tapered to 9.078 million b/d (139.17 bil. gal. per year), a 0.3% decrease. Refiner/blender net input of ethanol followed gasoline demand, slipping 0.4% to 913,000 b/d (14.00 bil. gal. annualized).