Analysis & Projections

Analysis & Projections

Models & Documentation

Price projections from Short-Term Energy Outlook ›

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, monthly.
Analysis of the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012 ›

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Analysis of the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012, May 2, 2012
Natural gas prices near 10-year low amid mild weather, higher supplies in winter 2011-12 ›

Natural gas prices continued their downward trend this winter as a result of continued high production levels, mild weather limiting heating demand, and robust storage. On March 31—the end of what is considered winter for the natural gas market—spot natural gas prices at the Henry Hub approached $2 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). On April 18, the natural gas spot price at Henry Hub was $1.87/MMBtu. Storage levels were 2,479 billion cubic (Bcf) for the week ending March 30, more than 60% above the five-year average for that week. U.S. population-weighted heating degree days were 18% below normal from November through March, reducing estimated, average residential and commercial natural gas demand by over 6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd) compared to the previous five-year average.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Today in Energy, April 19, 2012.
Petroleum Product Assets in the Northeast ›

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Potential Impacts of Reductions in Refinery Activity on Northeast Petroleum Product Markets, February 27, 2012.
U.S. energy use projected to grow slowly and become less carbon-intensive ›

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2012 (Early Release), January 23, 2012.
New EIA analysis: What drives crude oil prices? ›

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Energy & Financial Markets: What Drives Crude Oil Prices?.

Energy In Brief

What is a cap-and-trade program and how does it work?

A cap-and-trade program is designed to reduce emissions of a pollutant by placing a limit (or cap) on the total amount of emissions. The cap is implemented through a system of allowances that can be traded to minimize costs to affected sources. Cap-and-trade programs for greenhouse gas emissions would increase the costs of using fossil fuels.

What are renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and how do they affect generation of electricity from renewable sources?

Renewable portfolio standards are policies designed to increase electricity generation from renewable resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Many States have their own renewable portfolio standards, although currently there is no program at the National level. States with renewable portfolio programs have seen an increase in the amount of electricity generated from renewable fuels.

Read All Energy in Brief Articles ›

Features

Short-Term Energy Outlook

Released May 8, 2012 | Next Release: June 12, 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.

Potential Impacts of Reductions in Refining Activity on Northeast Petroleum Product Markets

Released February 27, 2012
Jones Act Addendum: May 11, 2012

This report is an update to a previous EIA report, Reductions in Northeast Refining Activity: Potential Implications for Petroleum Product Markets, released in December 2011. This update analyzes possible market responses and impacts in the event Sunoco's Philadelphia refinery closes this summer, in addition to the recently idled refineries on the East Coast and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Annual Energy Outlook 2012 Early Release Overview

Released January 23, 2012 | Next Release: Spring of 2012

This release is an abridged version of the Annual Energy Outlook that highlights changes in the AEO Reference case projections for key energy topics. The Early Release includes data tables for the Reference case only. The full AEO2012 will be released in Spring 2012.

2011 Briefs: Energy Price Trends Articles

Released January 2012

This series of articles discusses energy market trends in 2011.

Effect of Increased Natural Gas Exports on Domestic Energy Markets as requested by the Office of Fossil Energy

Released January 19, 2012

This report responds to an August 2011 request from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy (DOE/FE) for an analysis of "the impact of increased domestic natural gas demand, as exports."

Review of Emerging Resources: U.S. Shale Gas and Shale Oil Plays

Released July 8, 2011

To gain a better understanding of the potential U.S. domestic shale gas and shale oil resources, EIA commissioned INTEK, Inc. to develop an assessment of onshore Lower 48 States technically recoverable shale gas and shale oil resources. This paper briefly describes the scope, methodology, and key results of the report and discusses the key assumptions that underlie the results.