Definitions, Sources and Explanatory Notes

 Category:   Summary
 Topic:   U.S. Crude Oil Supply & Disposition Balance

  Definitions

Key Terms Definition
Alaskan in Transit Alaskan crude oil stocks in transit by water between Alaska and the other States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Barrel A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
Crude Adjustments A balancing item to account for the difference between the supply and disposition of crude oil (formerly called "unaccounted for crude oil").
Crude Oil A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase in natural underground reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through surface separating facilities. Depending upon the characteristics of the crude stream, it may also include:
  • Small amounts of hydrocarbons that exist in gaseous phase in natural underground reservoirs but are liquid at atmospheric pressure after being recovered from oil well (casinghead) gas in lease separators and are subsequently commingled with the crude stream without being separately measured. Lease condensate recovered as a liquid from natural gas wells in lease or field separation facilities and later mixed into the crude stream is also included;
  • Small amounts of nonhydrocarbons produced with the oil, such as sulfur and various metals;
  • Drip gases, and liquid hydrocarbons produced from tar sands, oil sands, gilsonite, and oil shale.


  • Liquids produced at natural gas processing plants are excluded. Crude oil is refined to produce a wide array of petroleum products, including heating oils; gasoline, diesel and jet fuels; lubricants; asphalt; ethane, propane, and butane; and many other products used for their energy or chemical content.
    Disposition The components of petroleum disposition are stock change, crude oil losses, refinery inputs, exports, and products supplied for domestic consumption.
    Ending Stocks Primary stocks of crude oil and petroleum products held in storage as of 12 midnight on the last day of the month. Primary stocks include crude oil or petroleum products held in storage at (or in) leases, refineries, natural gas processing plants, pipelines, tank farms, and bulk terminals that can store at least 50,000 barrels of petroleum products or that can receive petroleum products by tanker, barge, or pipeline. Crude oil that is in-transit by water from Alaska, or that is stored on Federal leases or in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is included. Primary Stocks exclude stocks of foreign origin that are held in bonded warehouse storage.
    Exports Shipments of crude oil and petroleum products from the 50 States and the District of Columbia to foreign countries, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions and territories.
    Imports Receipts of crude oil and petroleum products into the 50 States and the District of Columbia from foreign countries, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions and territories.
    Imports by PAD District of Entry Represents the PAD District in which the material entered the United States and not necessarily where the crude oil or product is processed and/or consumed.
    Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation. Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.
    Pipeline Crude oil and product pipelines used to transport crude oil and petroleum products respectively, (including interstate, intrastate, and intracompany pipelines) within the 50 States and the District of Columbia.
    Product Supplied Approximately represents consumption of petroleum products because it measures the disappearance of these products from primary sources, i.e., refineries, natural gas processing plants, blending plants, pipelines, and bulk terminals. In general, product supplied of each product in any given period is computed as follows: field production, plus transfers to crude oil supply, plus biofuels plant net production, plus refinery and blender net production, plus imports, plus net receipts, plus adjustments, minus stock change, minus refinery and blender net inputs, minus exports.
    Product Supplied, Crude Oil Crude oil burned on leases and by pipelines as fuel.
    Refinery An installation that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils, natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, and oxygenates.
    Refinery Input, Crude Oil Total crude oil (domestic plus foreign) input to crude oil distillation units and other refinery processing units (cokers, etc.).
    SPR Petroleum stocks maintained by the Federal Government for use during periods of major supply interruption.
    Stock Change The difference between stocks at the beginning of the month and stocks at the end of the month. A negative number indicates a decrease in stocks and a positive number indicates an increase in stocks.
    Stocks Inventories of fuel stored for future use. Stocks are reported as of the last day of the period (e.g., week or month).
    Supply The components of petroleum supply are field production, refinery production, imports, and net receipts when calculated on a PAD District basis.
    Tank Farm An installation used by gathering and trunk pipeline companies, crude oil producers, and terminal operators (except refineries) to store crude oil.

    For definitions of related energy terms, refer to the EIA Energy Glossary.

      Sources

  • Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-810, "Monthly Refinery Report".
  • Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-812, "Monthly Product Pipeline Report".
  • Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-813, "Monthly Crude Oil Report".
  • Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-814, "Monthly Imports Report".
  • Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-815, "Monthly Bulk Terminal And Blender Report".
  • Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-816, "Monthly Natural Gas Liquids Report".
  • Export data from the Bureau of the Census and EIA estimates.
  • Crude Oil Production
    - 1920-1975: Bureau of Mines, Mineral Industry Surveys.
    - 1976-1980: Energy Information Administration, Energy Data Reports.
    - 1981-2014: Energy Information Administration estimates published in the Petroleum Supply Annual and Petroleum Supply Monthly reports, based on crude oil production data from State Government agencies and the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (and predecessor agencies), and first purchase data reported on Form EIA-182,"Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase Report".
    - 2015-Current: Estimated based on Form EIA-914, "Monthly Crude Oil, Lease Condensate, and Natural Gas Production Report," and data from State conservation agencies, the U.S. Department of Interior, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
  • EIA Forms & Instructions .
  • Background, Survey Methodology and Statistical Details .

  •   Explanatory Notes

  • Adjustments include an adjustment for crude oil, previously referred to as "Unaccounted For Crude Oil."
  • A negative stock change indicates a decrease in stocks and a positive number indicates an increase in stocks. More details.
  • Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.