EIA: Ethanol Stocks Ease

NEW YORK (DTN) -- The U.S. Energy Information Administration released their Weekly Petroleum Status Report on Thursday, Dec. 28, that showed another draw for U.S. fuel ethanol inventories, while domestic plant production and blending demand climbed during the week-ended Dec. 22.

The EIA reported fuel ethanol stockpiles declined by 300,000 barrels (bbl), or 1.3%, to a 22.0 million bbl, although up 3.3 million bbl, or 17.6%, versus a year ago.

The decline occurred mostly in the Midwest, where supply was drawn down 300,000 bbl to 7.7 million bbl last week. Rocky Mountain region supply eased by 100,000 bbl to 300,000 bbl.

Domestic plant production rebounded after two straight weekly declines, up 13,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 1.2%, to 1.090 million bpd last week, and 62,000 bpd, or 6.0%, higher year over year. For the four weeks ended-Dec. 22, fuel ethanol production averaged 1.091 million bpd, 59,000 bpd, or 5.4%, higher than a year ago.

Net refiner and blender inputs, a measure for ethanol demand, rose by 32,000 bpd, or 3.5%, to 914,000 bpd last week, while up 11,000 bpd, or 1.2%, year over year. For the four-week period ended Dec. 22, blending demand averaged 915,000 bpd, up 10,000 bpd, or 1.1%, versus a year ago.

(BE)

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