Ethanol production down slightly over last week

In Washington, D.C. ethanol production declined 13,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 1.2%, to average 1.044 million b/d—equivalent to 43.85 million gallons daily, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. It remained 3,000 b/d (0.3%) above year ago levels. The four-week average ethanol production rate moved 0.2% higher to 1.056 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.19 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks shrank by 0.3% to 22.6 million barrels. However, this remains 3.0% higher than year-ago inventories. Stocks rose in the Midwest, fell in the Gulf Coast and were fairly stable in other regions (PADDs). There were no imports reported by EIA for the 29th week in a row. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of March 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied increased 0.5% to 9.441 million b/d (396.5 million gallons per day, or 144.73 bg annualized). However, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol declined 1.8% in the holiday-shortened week to 931,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.27 bg annualized, but remained 3.3% above the year-ago level. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production decreased to 11.06%.