Ethanol production rate caps off 11-week rise with a 0.2% decrease

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production tapered by 4,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 0.4%, to 1.062 million b/d—equivalent to 44.60 million gallons daily, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels. The four-week average ethanol production rate capped off an eleven-week rise with a 0.2% decrease to 1.069 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.39 billion gallons.

Ethanol stocks rose 6.8% to 22.5 million barrels, the highest reserves since Sept. 2019. However, inventories were 3.4% lower than the same week last year. Stocks increased in all PADDs except the Rocky Mountain region (PADD 4). There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the fourth consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of November 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market during the holiday week dropped 9.2% to 8.133 million b/d (341.59 million gallons per day, or 124.68 bg annualized)—the weakest level in nearly three years. Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol followed, decreasing 9.4% to 801,000 b/d—equivalent to 12.28 bg annualized and the lowest weekly demand in two years. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production increased to 13.06%.