EIA: US Ethanol Stocks Flat

By DTN Staff

CRANBURY, N.J. (DTN) -- Domestic inventory of ethanol was unchanged at 20.7 million barrels (bbl) during the week ended Dec. 24, the Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday morning, while 2.5 million bbl or 10.8% below the comparable year-ago stock level.

Draws of 200,000 bbl in PADD 3 Gulf Coast that left stocks on Dec. 24 at 3.5 million bbl, and by 300,000 bbl for PADD 5 West Coast to 2.2 million bbl offset a roughly 400,000 bbl build in PADD 2 Midwest stocks to 8.5 million bbl. No stock change was reported for PADD 1 East Coast with inventory at 6 million bbl or for PADD 4 Rocky Mountains where stocks totaled 400,000 bbl. Against a year ago, the coastal markets are all in deficit, with PADD 1 stocks 1.3 million bbl less than year ago, PADD 3 stocks 900,000 bbl, and PADD 5 stocks 1.1 million bbl.

PADD 2 ethanol stocks were 700,000 bbl above year ago on Dec. 24 after the weekly draw, while ethanol production plants in the Midwest increased output 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.001 million bpd. Midwest ethanol plant production averaged 1.012 million bpd during the four weeks ended Dec. 24; 94,000 bpd or 10.2% above the comparable year-ago period.

U.S. ethanol plant production edged up 8,000 bpd to 1.059 million bpd last week and averaged 1.072 million bpd over the most recent four weeks, up 108,000 bpd or 11.2% against the same four weeks in 2020.

Net refiner, blender ethanol inputs increased 28,000 bpd or 3.2% during the week reviewed to 910,000 bpd, a nine-week high, while 108,000 bpd or 13.5% above the comparable year-ago blend rate. PADD 2 Midwest refiners and blenders drove the increase, up 12,000 bpd or 5.1% to 247,000 bpd, followed by a 7,000 bpd or 4.7% hike in PADD 3 Gulf Coast, and 6,000 bpd or 4.1% gain in PADD 5 West Coast.

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