Weekly ethanol production up 13.6% more than last year and 2.2% than pre-pandemic

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production eased by 3,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 0.3%, to 1.087 million b/d, equivalent to 45.65 million gallons daily, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. Production was 13.6% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, and 2.2% more than the same week in 2019.

The four-week average ethanol production volume increased 0.7% to 1.073 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.45 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks expanded 2.0% to a 15-week high of 20.9 million barrels. Stocks were 9.0% below the year-ago level and 4.2% less than the same week in 2019. Inventories built across all regions except the West Coast (PADD 5).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, jumped 5.7% to 9.47 million b/d (145.21 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 18.8% above a year ago and 0.6% more than the same week in 2019.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol scaled up 2.0% to 879,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.48 bg annualized. Net inputs were 9.6% more than a year ago but 3.6% below the same week in 2019.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the seventh consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of October 2021.)