Ethanol weekly production down 2.6%, ethanol stocks down 7.7% below year-ago volumes

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production scaled back by 2.6%, or 25,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 913,000 b/d—equivalent to 38.35 million gallons daily, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. Ethanol stocks declined 1.4% to 19.7 million barrels, which was 7.7% below year-ago volumes. Inventories drew down across all regions.

The four-week average ethanol production rate ticked up 0.1% to 913,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 14.00 billion gallons (bg).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, shifted 3.3% lower to 8.29 million b/d (127.07 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 13.6% less than a year ago.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol pared back by 3.0% to 838,000 b/d, equivalent to 12.85 bg annualized. This was 9.7% below the year-earlier level as a result of the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded after 25,000 b/d hit the books the prior week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of August 2020.)