Ethanol production up 10.0% same week last year and 0.6% above two years ago

In Washington, D.C., ethanol production scaled back by 17,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 1.7%, to 1.035 million b/d, equivalent to 43.47 million gallons daily, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. Production was 10.9% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, and 0.6% more than the same week two years ago.

The four-week average ethanol production volume decreased 0.6% to 1.036 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.88 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks expanded by 3.7% to 24.5 million barrels, the largest reserves since early May 2020. Stocks were 3.7% higher than a year ago and 1.0% more than the same week two years ago. Inventories built across all regions except the East Coast (PADD 1), including record-high reserves in the Midwest (PADD 2).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, rose 3.4% to 8.51 million b/d (130.38 bg annualized). Gasoline demand registered 8.6% higher than a year ago but 3.3% lower than the same week two years ago.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol declined 1.4% to 795,000 b/d, equivalent to 12.19 bg annualized. Net inputs were 1.3% more than a year ago but 8.9% less than the same week two years ago.

Imports of ethanol arriving into the West Coast were 36,000 b/d, or 10.58 million gallons for the week. This marks the first imports in thirteen weeks. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of November 2021.)