Ethanol production up slightly

In Washington, D.C., according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production increased 3,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 0.3%, to an average of 1.002 million barrels per day (b/d), equivalent to 42.08 million gallons daily. The four-week average ethanol production rate eased 0.1% to 995,000 b/d—equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.25 billion gallons. This represents the smallest 4-week average production rate in two years years. Stocks of ethanol tapered for the second straight week, decreasing 3.3% to 23.2 million barrels. There were no imports for the 21st week in a row. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of January 2019.)

Gasoline supplied to the market jumped 7.4% to 9.806 million b/d (411.9 million gallons per day, or 150.33 billion gallons annualized). Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol expanded 1.1% to 919,000 b/d—equivalent to 14.09 billion gallons annualized. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production declined to 10.22%—the lowest level since Oct. 2017.