Ethanol production declines 3.2%, four-week average increased .3%

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production slowed, declining 3.2% or 35,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 1.044 million b/d—equivalent to 43.85 million gallons daily, according to EIA data issued by the government and analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). However, the four-week average ethanol production rate increased 0.3% to 1.054 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.16 billion gallons.

Ethanol stocks moderated to a five-week low of 24.3 million barrels, settling 2.5% below the prior week’s record. Inventories shifted lower across all regions except the West Coast (PADD 5), where stocks lifted 8.2%.

Imports of ethanol arriving into the West Coast were 9,000 b/d, or 2.65 million gallons for the week. This was the second time in three weeks that ethanol was imported. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of January 2020.)

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market rose 2.9% to 9.449 million b/d (396.86 million gallons per day, or 144.85 bg annualized), scaling up to the largest volume since October. Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol followed, increasing 2.5% to 919,000 b/d—equivalent to 14.09 bg annualized and an eleven-week high. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production decreased to 11.05%.