Ethanol Inventory Rises

EIA: US Ethanol Inventory Up 300,000 Barrels to 7 1/2-Month High

CRANBURY, N.J. (DTN) -- The Energy Information Administration on Wednesday, Dec. 30, reported a 300,000-barrel (bbl) increase in U.S. inventory of ethanol during the week ended Dec. 25, the ninth consecutive week with a build, pushing stockpiles to their highest level since mid-May at 23.5 million bbl, while 2.5 million bbl or 11.9% above a year ago.

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Supply builds were reported in PADDs 1, 2 and 3, with PADD 1 East Coast ethanol inventory up 100,000 bbl to 7.4 million bbl, 700,000 bbl or 10.4% more than during the comparable week a year ago. PADD 2 Midwest stocks increased 200,000 bbl to 8 million bbl during the week profiled, leaving regional inventory 400,000 bbl or 5.3% above a year ago. PADD 3 Gulf Coast stocks gained 100,000 bbl to 4.5 million bbl during the week reviewed, with inventory 900,000 bbl more than during the same week in 2019.

PADD 4 Rocky Mountain inventory was unchanged on the week and against a year ago at 400,000 bbl, while a 1 million bbl drawdown in the PADD 5 West Coast left ethanol inventory at 3.2 million bbl on Dec. 25, while up 500,000 bbl on the year.

Refiner and blender net ethanol inputs edged up 16,000 barrels per day (bpd) or 2% to 818,000 bpd during the week reviewed, although are down 66,000 bpd or 7.5% against a year ago. During the four weeks ended Dec. 25, ethanol blending demand averaged 794,000 bpd, down 104,000 bpd or 11.6% against the comparable period in 2019.

Output at U.S. ethanol plants dropped 42,000 or 4.3% during the week ended on Christmas Day to 934,000 bpd, the lowest production rate since mid-October, while down 132,000 bpd or 12.4% against year ago. During the four weeks ended Dec. 25, ethanol plant production averaged 964,000 bpd, down 107,000 bpd or 10% against the same four weeks in 2019.

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