4-week ethanol production rises by 1.4%

Renewable Fuels Association reports that ethanol production increased 26,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 2.5%, to 1.059 million b/d—equivalent to 44.48 million gallons daily. The four-week average ethanol production rate rose by 1.4% to 1.034 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.85 billion gallons, but was still 2.1% lower than the year-ago level.

Ethanol stocks shrank an additional 1.2% to 20.3 million barrels, the lowest volume since January 2017. Inventories were 11.6% lower than the same week last year. Stocks declined in all regions except the Gulf Coast (PADD3) and Rocky Mountains (PADD 4). Imports of ethanol arriving into the West Coast were 36,000 b/d, or 10.58 million gallons for the week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of September 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market ticked 0.1% higher to 9.204 million b/d (386.6 million gallons per day, or 141.10 bg annualized). Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol also increased 0.1% to 930,000 b/d—equivalent to 14.26 bg annualized. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production increased to 11.51%.