EIA’s top highlights from 2017
While the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is ready for 2018, we thought it was a good time to pause and look back at some highlights from 2017.
Small-scale solar photovoltaic forecasts in the Short-Term Energy Outlook
For the first time, EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook includes forecasts for small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation and capacity. Small-scale PV systems have a generating capacity of less than one megawatt and are typically installed on business or residential rooftops.
New data in the Drilling Productivity Report
To provide more complete coverage of U.S. crude oil and natural gas production, EIA expanded the Drilling Productivity Report to include the Anadarko region, which includes most of the production from the Anadarko Basin—24 counties in Oklahoma and 5 counties in Texas. Two other regions—the Marcellus and the Utica—were combined into one Appalachia region. The formations of the Appalachian Basin span New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, and they overlap in some areas. The combined regions better reflect the underlying geology of these formations.
National Oil and Gas Gateway launch
The National Oil and Gas Gateway is the first publicly available website with oil and natural gas well-level data from multiple states across the country. The website was a collaborative initiative between the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Groundwater Protection Council and its member states, and the Office of Oil and Natural Gas in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy. Prior to the release of the Gateway, the well-level data from these states were only available on individual state websites or in aggregate in commercial databases.
International Energy Outlook 2017 and Annual Energy Outlook 2017 flipbooks
EIA released its International Energy Outlook 2017 (IEO2017) and Annual Energy Outlook 2017 (AEO2017) on EIA.gov and in user-friendly, graphic-rich flipbooks. The flipbooks support the online versions of the AEO2017 and IEO2017, and they highlight dozens of graphs and bullets from the reports. The new spiral-bound flipbooks are the result of extensive cross-agency collaboration, and they saved substantial resources—both time and money—while maintaining the value of the publications.
Monthly Densified Biomass Fuel Report
The Monthly Densified Biomass Fuel Report is a new EIA survey that gathers information on wood pellet and other densified biomass fuel production, sales, and inventory levels from approximately 90 operating pellet fuel manufacturing facilities in the United States. Facilities with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons or more per year are required to report to EIA monthly. Smaller facilities (those with a capacity of less than 10,000 tons per year) report their production capacity to EIA annually.
North American Cooperation on Energy Information website launch
The North American Cooperation on Energy Information website consolidates energy-related data, maps, analyses, and references from the United States, Canada, and Mexico in one place and in three languages—English, Spanish, and French. The website provides detailed data by energy source and by country of origin with conversion factors, data units, and definitional cross references. Users can download, map, and graph the data.
New data on transportation of hydrocarbon gas liquids, petroleum coke, and asphalt by rail
Adding to its existing data series on rail movements of crude oil, ethanol, and biodiesel, EIA released new data on movements of hydrocarbon gas liquids, petroleum coke, and asphalt by rail within the United States and to and from Canada. The new series are included in EIA's Petroleum Supply Monthly, which already includes movements of crude oil and select petroleum products by pipeline, tanker, barge, and rail.
Data from the Residential Energy Consumption Survey
EIA published data from its Residential Energy Consumption Survey in a public-use microdata file, tables, and a summary report. The data highlight the variability and trends in energy use in the nation’s more than 118 million single-family homes, apartments, and mobile homes. Data users can perform custom analyses of energy characteristics and consumption.
Data on the manufacturing sector’s use and management of energy
EIA released data on energy use and the energy intensity of the U.S. manufacturing sector, based on the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey. The survey collects information on the building stock of U.S. manufacturing establishments, their energy-related characteristics, and their energy consumption and expenditures. The survey data are collected from a sample of approximately 15,000 establishments drawn from a sample frame that represents 97%–98% of the total U.S. manufacturing payroll.
Energy disruptions coverage
EIA is often called upon to provide information on energy supplies and markets during periods of severe weather events and other circumstances (such as major outages) that impede energy services. During the recent hurricanes, EIA provided information on industry supply chains, markets, and infrastructure to help national, regional, and state responses. EIA has a number of products and reports that track and notify policymakers, industry, and the public of potential, active, and recent energy disruptions, including EIA’s energy disruptions map, the U.S. Electric System Operating Data tool, and the Southern California Daily Energy Report.
EIA also deployed several employees trained in energy support to FEMA’s coordination centers in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
2017 EIA Energy Conference
More than 900 attendees from industry, government, and academia participated in EIA's 2017 Energy Conference, held June 26 and 27 in Washington, DC, to discuss current and future challenges facing domestic and international energy markets and policymakers. Attendees enjoyed engaging plenary speakers, including Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, FERC Commissioner Colette Honorable, Senator Greg Walden, Opower Founder Alex Laskey, and Pioneer Natural Resources Chairman Scott Sheffield.
Mark your calendars now for the 2018 EIA Energy Conference, scheduled for June 4–5 at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, DC.