U.S. ethanol production hits third-highest volume on record

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production is down 12,000 b/d from the week before, but enough to post the third-highest volume on record, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. Ethanol production averaged 1.077 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 45.23 million gallons daily. The four-week average for ethanol production ticked higher to a record 1.085 million b/d for an annualized rate of 16.63 billion gallons. Stocks of ethanol were 22.3 million barrels. That is a 0.4% decrease from last week. Imports of ethanol remained flat at zero b/d for the second week in a row.

Average weekly gasoline demand increased 3.7 % to a 4-week high of 395.9 million gallons (9.426 million barrels) daily. This is equivalent to 144.5 billion gallons annualized. Refiner/blender input of ethanol decreased 0.2% to 914,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.01 billion gallons annualized. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production decreased to 11.43%.