Ethanol production still up compared to same weeks in 2019 and 2020

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production scaled up by 19,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 1.8%, to 1.079 million b/d, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. This is equivalent to 45.32 million gallons daily. Production was 9.0% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, and 1.9% greater than the same week in 2019. However, the four-week average ethanol production volume decreased 0.6% to 1.071 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.42 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks rose 0.4% to 20.2 million barrels. Stocks were 3.4% below the year-ago level and 0.6% lower than the same week in 2019. Inventories increased across all regions except the Midwest (PADD 2) and Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, climbed 1.0% to 9.33 million b/d (143.09 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 14.8% above a year ago and 1.4% more than the same week in 2019.

Conversely, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol declined 1.3% to a 30-week low of 886,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.58 bg annualized. Net inputs were 9.0% above a year ago but 4.7% less than the same week in 2019.

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 September 2021.)