Within the past week

OPEC spare capacity in the first quarter of 2012 at lowest level since 2008

May 24, 2012
EIA estimates that global spare crude oil production capacity averaged about 2.4 million barrels per day (bbl/d) during the first quarter of 2012, down about 1.3 million bbl/d from the same period in 2011. Spare capacity can serve as a buffer against oil market disruptions, and it gives the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) additional political and economic influence in world markets.

Horizontal drilling boosts Pennsylvania’s natural gas production

May 23, 2012
Between 2009 and 2011, Pennsylvania's natural gas production more than quadrupled due to expanded horizontal drilling programs combined with hydraulic fracturing. The animation in this article highlights trends in Pennsylvania's natural gas drilling activity from January 2005 through April 2012.

Electricity storage can smooth out moment-to-moment variations in electricity demand

May 22, 2012
Electricity storage technologies that operate on short timescales (seconds, minutes, hours) can be used to keep a more precise balance between electric supply and demand. These power quality management technologies can fill the gaps between actual electric demand and an average, smooth demand curve that is easier for typical supply sources to follow. However, a potential barrier to adopting these technologies is finding a way to get paid for the service they provide.

Electricity storage can take advantage of daily price variations

May 21, 2012
Electricity storage technologies that can operate on timescales such as hours or days are often deployed at specific times of day to take advantage of variations in the price of electricity. Storage operators can buy electricity when prices are lower (overnight or on weekends), store it, and then discharge or deliver it later, selling the stored electricity when prices are higher.

Prime Supplier Report

May 21, 2012
The latest Prime Supplier Report presents data collected through March 2012 on Form EIA—782C, "Monthly Report of Prime Supplier Sales of Petroleum Products Sold for Local Consumption." These data measure primary petroleum product deliveries into the States where they are locally marketed and consumed.

Within the past 30 days

What are the major sources and users of energy in the United States?

May 18, 2012
The major energy sources in the United States are petroleum (oil), natural gas, coal, nuclear, and renewable energy. The major users are residential and commercial buildings, industry, transportation, and electric power generators. The pattern of fuel use varies widely by sector. For example, oil provides 93% of the energy used for transportation, but only about 1% of the energy used to generate electric power.

Warm weather and low natural gas prices dampen spot electricity prices this winter

May 18, 2012
The combination of one of the warmest winters in decades (November-March) and low spot natural gas prices contributed to low wholesale electric prices at major market locations during the winter of 2011/12.

How much of our electricity is generated from renewable energy?

May 18, 2012
U.S. power plants used renewable energy sources — water (hydroelectric), wood, wind, organic waste, geothermal, and sun — to generate about 13% of our electricity in 2011.

Global generation capacity for nuclear power has grown to over 346 gigawatts since 1955

May 17, 2012
Nuclear generating capacity additions began in the 1950s and now top 346 gigawatts worldwide. The first nuclear reactor to produce electricity was a very small U.S. experimental reactor in 1951. Currently, 30 countries have nuclear power programs.

Wholesale Market Data

May 17, 2012
Spreadsheets contain peak prices, volumes, and the number of transactions at ten electricity trading hubs covering most regions of the United States. Data from ICE (IntercontinentalExchange) through May 11, 2012.

Natural gas consumption reflects shifting sectoral patterns

May 16, 2012
U.S. natural gas consumption since 1997 reflects shifting patterns. Total U.S. natural gas consumption rose 7% between 1997 and 2011, but this modest growth masks bigger changes in individual sectors. Electric power is now the largest natural gas consuming sector and it shows perhaps the greatest sensitivity to price changes.

Domestic Uranium Production Report - Quarterly

May 16, 2012
First quarter 2012 update of uranium production in the United States and operating status of U.S. uranium mills and plants.

Participation in electric net-metering programs increased sharply in recent years

May 15, 2012
Electricity consumers are participating in net-metering programs in growing numbers. When individuals or businesses install small, typically renewable, onsite generators (such as a rooftop solar system), they can usually enter into a net-metering agreement with their utility. Between 2003 and 2010, the average annual growth in customer participation was 56%, with a 61% increase between 2009 and 2010. While participation is increasing, electric customers with net-metering represented only 0.1% of all customers in 2010.

State electric retail choice programs are popular with commercial and industrial customers

May 14, 2012
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have adopted electric retail choice programs that allow end-use customers to buy electricity from competitive retail suppliers. While residential customer participation rates are low in almost all of these states, a majority of commercial customers have signed up with competitive suppliers in 9 states and a majority of industrial customers have signed up in 12 states.

State Energy Data System: Noncombustible Renewable Energy Through 2010

May 11, 2012
Annual State-level estimates of consumption for hydroelectric power, as well as wind, geothermal, and solar energy.

EIA provides new information on planned natural gas pipelines and storage facilities

May 11, 2012
On May 10, 2012, EIA published new information on planned additions to natural gas pipeline capacity and natural gas storage facilities. EIA is planning to update this information quarterly.

OPEC Revenues Fact Sheet

May 10, 2012
Based on projections from the EIA May 2012 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could earn an estimated $1,154 billion of net oil export revenues in 2012 and $1,117 billion in 2013.

Over the past decade, lighting became more efficient across all sectors

May 10, 2012
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently released a study of the 2010 lighting market, finding that lighting across all sectors became more energy efficient since their study of the 2001 lighting market. The residential sector, which accounted for 25% of total lighting energy consumption in 2010, remained the least energy efficient of the sectors, primarily due to the use of incandescent lamps.

Domestic Uranium Production Report - Annual

May 9, 2012
Statistical data update for 2011 on drilling, mining, production, shipments, facilities, employment and expenditures in the U.S. uranium production industry.

Vietnam Country Analysis Brief

May 9, 2012
Over the past decade, Vietnam has emerged as an important oil and gas producer in Southeast Asia, and the country’s economic growth has spurred energy consumption and investment in unexplored oil and gas basins. Vietnam commissioned its first oil refinery in 2009 causing crude exports to drop substantially. The country is self-sufficient in natural gas, and both production and consumption have grown six-fold over the past decade.

Policies for compensating behind-the-meter generation vary by State

May 9, 2012
Most States have policies providing incentives for the general public to produce renewable electricity onsite to "spin the meter backwards" (see map above). The terms for such net metering arrangements are typically embodied in a utility tariff.

U.S. nuclear outages back within five-year range

May 8, 2012
U.S. nuclear outages peaked above 27 gigawatts on April 16, 2012, due to the combination of seasonal refueling outages and several forced outages. U.S. nuclear reactor operators typically schedule refueling and maintenance outages for the spring and fall to help ensure that reactors are available to meet higher electric demand levels in the summer and winter.

Short-Term Energy Outlook

May 8, 2012
EIA’s current forecast of the average U.S. refiner acquisition cost of crude oil in 2012 is $110 per barrel, which is $2.50 per barrel lower than in last month’s Outlook, but still about $8 per barrel higher than last year’s average price. EIA expects the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil to average about $104 per barrel in 2012, about $2 per barrel lower than the forecast in last month’s Outlook, but $9 per barrel higher than the 2011 average price. EIA expects crude oil prices to remain relatively flat in 2013.

Short-Term Energy Outlook - Market Prices and Uncertainty Report

May 8, 2012
Front month futures prices for Brent and WTI settled at $113.18 and $98.49 per barrel, respectively, on May 4 (Figure 1). Brent is now $13 per barrel lower compared to its 2012 high reached on March 13 and WTI is $9 per barrel off its 2012 high on February 24.

EIA publishes monthly biodiesel production data for 2010 and 2011

May 7, 2012
U.S. production of biodiesel was a record 109 million gallons in December 2011, according to new data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Production came from 113 active biodiesel plants. Biodiesel production for all of 2011 was 967 million gallons, which was the highest level recorded since EIA began tracking this data.

State Energy Data System: Wood and Biomass Waste Through 2010

May 4, 2012
Annual State-level estimates of consumption, prices, and expenditures for wood and biomass waste.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Data

May 4, 2012
New interactive viewer provides time-series data now through 2010.

Monthly Biodiesel Production Report

May 4, 2012
The U.S. Energy Information Administration released new data today showing national and regional monthly biodiesel production from January 2009 to December 2011. In addition to biodiesel production, data included producer sales, producer stocks, and feedstock inputs.

A Clean Energy Standard could reduce power sector carbon dioxide emissions

May 4, 2012
EIA recently released an Analysis of Impacts of the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012, pursuant to the request of Chairman Bingaman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. According to EIA's analysis, the proposed policy would reduce electric power sector carbon dioxide emissions 44% below EIA's Reference case in 2035. National average delivered electricity prices would increase 18% above the Reference case by 2035. However, for years before 2025, the national average electric power price increase due to the proposed policy is less than 5% above Reference case values.

Renewable utility-scale electricity production differs by fuel among states

May 3, 2012
Generation of electricity from renewable sources has increased over the last decade, from 8% of total generation in the electric power sector in 2001 to 13% in 2011. However, there are significant differences among states in the type and amount of renewable energy used, due to variation in the level of development and the availability of renewable resources.

Wholesale Market Data

May 3, 2012
Spreadsheets contain peak prices, volumes, and the number of transactions at ten electricity trading hubs covering most regions of the United States. Data from ICE (IntercontinentalExchange) through April 27, 2012.

Analysis of the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012

May 2, 2012
Analyzes the impacts of proposed legislation to enact a Clean Energy Standard (CES), as proposed by Senator Bingaman. This policy would require covered electricity retailers to supply a specified share of their electricity sales from qualifying clean energy resources, including renewable energy and nuclear. Fossil fuels with low carbon intensity (carbon emissions per unit of generation) may also partially qualify as clean energy resources.

Historical Coal Imports and Exports Data (2002-2011)

May 2, 2012
Provides detailed historical coal imports and exports by year and quarter, country, and rank of coal for 2002 through 2011.

Electricity generation from non-hydro renewable sources varies by state

May 2, 2012
The states with the most non-hydro renewable generation in 2011 also tend to have significant generation from wind. In 2011, wind accounted for more than half of the non-hydro renewable generation in nine of the top ten states. Although non-hydro renewable generation grew substantially in most states over the previous decade, hydro generation still accounted for over 60% of total renewable generation in 2011. While solar is an important component of distributed generation, state-level solar estimates for utility-scale generation are not yet available for all 50 states.

Uranium Marketing Annual Report

May 2, 2012
Statistical data update for 2011 on uranium marketing activities in the United States.

Petroleum Marketing Monthly

May 1, 2012
Monthly sales data for February 2012 show crude oil prices rose firmly in all categories of sales, while refiner prices for finished petroleum products registered significant increases from January levels. Data covering prime supplier sales of finished petroleum products sold for local consumption show an increase in gasoline sales at the U.S. level while sales of distillates and other products show month-on-month declines.

Caribbean Country Analysis Brief

May 1, 2012
The Caribbean has several export-oriented oil refineries and storage centers, geared mainly towards the U.S. market. However, two major refineries were recently closed after experiencing losses due to changes in global demand and competition from new refineries elsewhere.

Wholesale electricity prices spike in Texas

May 1, 2012
Warmer-than-normal temperatures across Texas drove the hourly, day-ahead wholesale electricity prices between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on April 26 and 27 above $500 per megawatthour (MWh) in ERCOT, the electric system operator for most of Texas. Very high prices for just part of an upcoming day, especially during "super peaks", can yield high average prices for the entire on-peak period. Prices for on-peak power in ERCOT were about four times higher than most other major power markets during that week.

Peru Country Analysis Brief

May 1, 2012
Peru is currently a net oil importer and a natural gas exporter, but rising exploration and development may lead to increased production and exports of both oil and gas in the next few years. Despite a decline in crude oil production, Peru’s total oil liquids output has increased in recent years as a result of the rising production of natural gas liquids. Peru is self-sufficient in natural gas and began exporting LNG in 2010.

Access to alternative transportation fuel stations varies across the lower 48 states

Apr 30, 2012
Although gasoline remains by far the dominant transportation fuel, a variety of alternative fuels are currently in use, primarily by government and private fleets. These fuels include electricity, propane, higher ethanol-gasoline blends (E85), hydrogen, and natural gas. In aggregate, there are currently about 10,000 alternative fuel stations in the United States, compared to approximately 160,000 gasoline stations in the country.

Natural Gas Monthly

Apr 30, 2012
The April Natural Gas Monthly, with data through February 2012, is now available. Reflective of warmer than normal weather, residential deliveries of natural gas in February 2012 of 668 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 23 Bcf/day, were the lowest daily levels on record for February since 1990. Commercial deliveries of 391 Bcf, or 13.5 Bcf/day, were at their lowest daily level for February since 1992.

Oil and Gas Field Code Master List

Apr 30, 2012
Comprehensive listing of U.S. oil and gas field names.

Monthly Natural Gas Gross Production Report

Apr 30, 2012
Monthly natural gas gross withdrawals estimated from data collected on Form EIA-914 (Monthly Natural Gas Production Report) for Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Other States and Lower 48 States. Alaska data are from the State of Alaska and included to obtain a U.S. Total.

Electric Power Monthly

Apr 30, 2012
Data are for February 2012, during which net generation in the United States fell 1.0 percent from the February 2011 level. Consumption of coal for power generation fell 14.6 percent compared to February 2011. The average retail price of electricity for January 2012 was 9.64 cents per kilowatthour, the same as it had been in February 2011.

Electricity Monthly Update

Apr 30, 2012
This issue contains data for February 2012 as well as a feature article on the participation levels in retail electric choice programs among different customer classes by State.

Top 5 producing states' combined marketed natural gas output rose in 2011

Apr 27, 2012
Combined marketed natural gas production from the top five natural gas producing states—Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Colorado—increased by about 7.5% in 2011, although their share of total U.S. natural gas output fell slightly to about 65%.

Company Level Imports

Apr 27, 2012
Imports data at the company level collected from the EIA-814 Monthly Imports Report.

The Availability and Price of Petroleum and Petroleum Products Produced in Countries Other Than Iran

Apr 27, 2012
This is the second in a series of reports prepared in fulfillment of Section 1245(d)(4)(A) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012, which requires that, not later than 60 days from enactment and every 60 days thereafter, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) “submit to Congress a report on the availability and price of petroleum and petroleum products produced in countries other than Iran in the 60-day period preceding the submission of the report.”

Monthly Energy Review

Apr 27, 2012
EIA's most comprehensive report on recent integrated energy statistics. Preliminary data indicate that in January 2012, U.S. primary energy production totaled 6.9 quadrillion Btu, a 5-percent increase from January 2011.

How dependent are we on foreign oil?

Apr 27, 2012
The United States imported about 45% of the petroleum (crude oil and petroleum products) that we consumed during 2011. Just over half of these imports came from the Western Hemisphere. Our dependence on foreign petroleum has declined since peaking in 2005.

Petroleum Supply Monthly

Apr 27, 2012
Supply and disposition of crude oil and petroleum products on a national and regional level. The data series describe production, imports and exports, movements and inventories.

Appendix C, consisting of a table showing Impact of Revisions on Major Series, is included with the latest release of the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM). Appendix C will now be a regular part of the PSM.

The table contains information on revisions to published statistics. It shows the published value in the PSM, the revised value, and the difference for the major product series. Except for crude oil field production and adjustments, the official published petroleum supply statistics are not changed to reflect revisions until publication of the Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA).

This table is provided as a service to analysts who need to know the latest available statistics. It should be used with caution because revisions to published data can change from month to month. In some cases, the pattern of revisions during the year is a poor indicator of final statistics that will be published in the PSA.

U.S. summer gasoline demand expected to be at 11-year low

Apr 26, 2012
U.S. gasoline demand this summer is expected to be the lowest in 11 years, while the average summer fuel price is forecast to be at a record level. High prices at the pump—mostly a result of global crude oil prices—and the use of more efficient vehicles both encourage reduced gasoline consumption.

State Nuclear Profiles

Apr 26, 2012
Presents a summary of current and recent historical data for the nuclear power industry. The data focuses on net summer capacity and net generation for each state, as well as plant specific information for 2010.

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