Ethanol production 7.7% above same week last year, but 3% less than pre-pandemic

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production slackened by 36,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 3.3%, to 1.051 million b/d, equivalent to 44.14 million gallons daily, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. Production was 7.7% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic but 3.0% less than the same week in 2019.

The four-week average ethanol production volume decreased 0.7% to 1.066 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.34 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks drew down for the first time in five weeks, decreasing 0.9% to 20.7 million barrels. Stocks were 10.6% below the year-ago level and 3.6% less than the same week in 2019. Inventories thinned across all regions except the West Coast (PADD 5).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, shrank 5.1% to 8.99 million b/d (137.76 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 12.0% above a year ago but 3.4% below the same week in 2019.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol increased 0.3% to 882,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.52 bg annualized. Net inputs were 10.0% more than a year ago but 6.0% below the same week in 2019.

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