US Ethanol Stocks Climb

By DTN Staff

OAKHURST, N.J. (DTN) -- Domestic ethanol inventory held higher for a fourth week during the period ended Jan. 24, though producers, for a second straight week, throttled back production and blending demand continued higher, according to data released Wednesday, Jan. 29, from the Energy Information Administration.

Data show U.S. ethanol supply rose 213,000 barrels (bbl) in the week reviewed to 24.244, a 26-week high, while about 1% more than the same week last year.

Ethanol supply in PADD 1 East Coast was higher for a fourth week, up 676,000 bbl to 8.728 million bbl, a 13% year-over-year supply surplus, while PADD 2 Midwest inventories gained for a second week, up 168,000 bbl to 8.396 million. PADD 2 stocks are 6.3% higher than the corresponding week in 2019.

PADD 3 Gulf Coast ethanol supply fell for the first time in four weeks, dropping 669,000 bbl to 4 million bbl in the week ended Jan. 24, a near-22% year-over-year supply deficit. PADD 5 West Coast ethanol supply rose for the first time in three weeks, up 32,000 bbl to 2.719 million bbl last week.

Plant operators again cut production, down 20,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 1.9%, to 1.029 million bpd, which was about 2% more than the same week last year. For the four weeks ended Jan. 24, output averaged 1.059 million bpd versus 1.023 million bpd in the same four weeks of 2019.

Refiner and blender net inputs increased a third straight week, up 9,000 bpd to average 873,000 bpd during the week reviewed, up 3,000 bpd from the same week in 2019. During the four weeks ended Jan. 24, blending activity averaged 848,000 bpd, down 9,000 bpd against a year ago.

(BM/AG)

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