Ethanol Stocks Rise

Ethanol Stocks Up 700,000 Barrels on Output Gain, Demand Slips

CRANBURY, N.J. (DTN) -- Ethanol inventory in the United States increased 700,000 barrels (bbl) during the week ended Sept. 27, led by a sharp build in the Midwest producer region where plant production increased while blending demand eased, data from the Energy Information Administration released midmorning shows.

EIA reported ethanol supply as of Sept. 27 at 23.2 million bbl, 3.1% higher on the week and 200,000 bbl less than year ago.

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Midwest PADD 2 ethanol inventory increased 400,000 bbl or 5.9% during the week reviewed to 7.2 million bbl, although 800,000 bbl or 10% below year ago. East Coast PADD 1 supply gained 200,000 bbl or 2.7% to 7.5 million bbl while 400,000 bbl or 5.1% below year ago. West Coast inventory also increased during the profiled week, up 200,000 bbl to 3.1 million bbl, 400,000 bbl or 14.8% above year ago.

Stock drawdowns were reported for the Gulf Coast PADD 3, down 200,000 bbl or 3.8% to 5.1 million bbl, although a sharp 700,000 bbl or 15.9% above the supply level during the comparable week in 2018. Rocky Mountains PADD 4 ethanol suppled declined 100,000 bbl on the week and year to 300,000 bbl.

Ethanol plant production increased 15,000 barrels per day (bpd) or 1.6% from a more-than-3-1/2-year low to 958,000 bpd, which is 57,000 bpd or 5.6% below the year ago operating rate for the same week. Midwest producers accounted for 10,000 bpd of the weekly increase in output.

Ethanol output at U.S. plants averaged 982,000 bpd during the four weeks ended Sept. 27, down 49,000 bpd or 4.8% against the comparable year-ago period.

Refiner and blender net production slowed 12,000 bpd or 1.3% during the week reviewed to 923,000 bpd, although up 6,000 bpd against year ago. All PAD districts reported lower blending activity except for a modest increase in PADD 3.

During the four weeks ended Sept. 27, blending activity averaged 924,000 bpd, up 8,000 bpd.

(AG)

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