US Ethanol Inventories Continue to Rise

By DTN Staff

OAKHURST, N.J. (DTN) -- Domestic ethanol inventories extended higher for a fourth week, rising 2% in the week ended Dec. 10 even as demand increased for the first time in four weeks while total output, though down, remained at a multiweek high, according to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration.

Blending activity rose 17,000 barrels per day (bpd) or 2% to 879,000 bpd in the period profiled, about 10% above the same time in 2020 while blending activity during the four weeks ended Dec. 10 averaged 878,000 bpd versus 791,000 bpd during the same four weeks in 2020.

Midwest blending increased 7,000 bpd in the week under review, while at the East Coast demand gained 3,000 bpd and Gulf Coast demand added 1,000 bpd on the week. For the four weeks ended Dec. 10, EIA data show PADD 2 blending activity was at 235,000 bpd while PADD 1 activity was 318,000 bpd and PADD 3 demand was 149,000 bpd.

EIA reported total ethanol output declined 3,000 bpd to 1.087 million bpd last week, about 14% above the same week in 2020.

Midwest PADD 2 plant production fell 5,000 bpd to 1.025 million bpd as of Dec. 10, more than 12% above output during the corresponding week last year.

Agency data show overall ethanol inventories rose a fourth straight week, up 419,000 per barrel (bbl) to a six-week high 20.883 million bbl.

East Coast supply rose a second week, up 362,000 bbl to an eight-week high 6.034 million bbl while Midwest stocks edged up to 8.149 million bbl.

Gulf stocks posted a third consecutive weekly build, up 81,000 bbl build to 3.861 million bbl through Dec. 10 and West Coast PADD 5 supply declined 60,000 bbl to 2.423 million bbl.

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