US Ethanol Demand Highest in Year; Output Sinks 4% on Week

OAKHURST, N.J. (DTN) -- Energy Information Administration data released midmorning detailed a 2.2% hike in ethanol blending activity in the United States, a measure of demand, to a better than one-year high through Aug. 12, while U.S. ethanol production dropped to the lowest level in more than three months.

EIA reports blending activity continued higher for a fourth week, up 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) or 2.2% to 929,000 bpd, the highest level since the week ended Aug. 6, 2021, and 8,000 bpd above the same week in 2021.

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Refiner and blender net inputs along the East Coast PADD 1 jumped 10,000 bpd to 337,000 bpd as of Aug. 12 while up 5,000 bpd in the Midwest PADD 2 to 254,000 bpd, up 4,000 bpd in Gulf Coast PADD 3 to 154,000 bpd and steady in the West Coast PADD 5 at 150,000 bpd.

The data show domestic production ethanol fell a second straight week, sliding 39,000 bpd or 3.8% to 983,000 bpd, the lowest level since the end of April. Output for the week profiled was 10,000 bpd or 1% lower than the same week last year.

At 926,000 bpd through Aug. 12, the agency reports Midwest ethanol production slid 39,000 bpd week-on-week but was 0.5% more than a year ago.

Total ethanol stockpiles added 190,000 barrels (bbl) to 23.446 million bbl last week, 1.8 million bbl above inventory on-hand the same week a year ago.

East Coast ethanol inventory was essentially flat at 7.509 million bbl as of Aug. 12, while Midwest stocks dropped 387,000 bbl to 8.457 million bbl, the first draw in three weeks.

At the Gulf Coast, ethanol inventory increased for the first time in three weeks, up 330,000 bbl to an eight-week high 4.357 million bbl and stocks along the West Coast PADD 5 rose 263,000 bbl to 2.753 million bbl.

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