Released: January 26, 2011
Next Release: February 2, 2011

Transportation Sector Petroleum Use in the New AEO2011 Reference Case

The transportation sector is by far the largest user of petroleum-based products (excluding the non-petroleum content of liquids) in the United States. In 2009, transportation accounted for 72 percent of total U.S. petroleum demand, consuming 12.9 million barrels per day (MMbbl/d) of petroleum out of a national total of 18.0 MMbbl/d. The Annual Energy Outlook 2011 Reference case, which reflects a scenario in which current laws and regulations remain unchanged, projects that transportation will continue to dominate petroleum consumption, with demand growing to 13.7 MMbbl/d out of a U.S. total of 18.9 MMbbl/d by 2035.

Light-duty vehicles (LDVs) consume the largest portion of petroleum products in the transportation sector, accounting for 8.2 MMbbl/d in 2009. Projected LDV petroleum consumption in the AEO 2011 Reference case is still around 8.2 MMbbl/d in 2035. Personal travel demand rises across the projection period, driven by increasing disposable personal income; however, a 34-percent increase in the fuel economy of the LDV fleet and the use of 1.8 MMbbl/d of ethanol offset petroleum product consumption, reducing the LDV share of transportation demand and total U.S. petroleum demand to 60 percent and 43 percent, respectively. Increases in fuel economy standards beyond those already set for LDVs through 2016 or mandated by law through 2020 are not considered in the Reference case projection. If established, further fuel economy standards could substantially reduce the long-run projection for LDV petroleum use.

Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) consume the second-largest portion of petroleum products in the transportation sector, accounting for 2.1 MMbbl/d and representing 17 percent of transportation demand and 12 percent of total U.S. petroleum demand in 2009. HDVs represent the largest area of growth in transportation petroleum consumption, growing from 2.1 MMbbl/d to 2.6 MMbbl/d, driven by an over 50-percent increase in the value of industrial output, with HDVs affected primarily by growth in the movement of high-value goods that are carried by freight trucks, which is partially offset by only a small improvement in HDV fuel economy. The Reference case projections for HDV fuel use outlined above do not reflect possible fuel economy standards for HDVs that are currently under consideration, and would likely change if binding standards were to be established.

Aircraft also represents a growing area of petroleum demand, increasing from 1.3 MMbbl/d in 2009 to 1.5 MMbbl/d in 2035, driven by the impact of rising income on personal travel and growing air freight demand for export, tempered by an increase in aircraft fuel efficiency and rising aircraft load factors. Petroleum product demand for the marine and rail transportation grows slightly, reaching 0.6 MMbbl/d and 0.3 MMbbl/d, respectively, in 2035. Marine and rail petroleum product demand grows as a result of higher industrial output due to the increased movement of bulk commodities such as corn and coal.

Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices Increase for the Eighth Straight Week
The U.S. average retail price for a gallon of gasoline increased for the eighth straight week, advancing six-tenths of a cent versus last week to $3.11 per gallon, $0.41 per gallon higher than last year at this time. Prices in the Rocky Mountains were up more than two cents, marking the second week in a row that the region had the largest increase in the country. Prices on the East Coast rose a penny, while both the Gulf Coast and West Coast saw prices rise less than a penny. Prices in the Midwest moved in the opposite direction, losing two-tenths of cent on the week. Prices on the West Coast remained the highest in the country at $3.29 per gallon, while prices in the Rocky Mountains remained the lowest at $2.92 per gallon.

Diesel prices also advanced for the eighth consecutive week, with the national average retail diesel price increasing more than 2 cents to $3.43 per gallon, $0.60 higher than last year at this time. Leading the way, prices on the East Coast registered a three-cent gain, followed by West Coast and Midwest prices, which were up slightly more than two cents. The diesel price on the Gulf Coast increased about a cent and a half for the week. Rounding out the regions, the Rocky Mountains saw diesel gain over a penny. The diesel price in New England rose to $3.61 this week, making it the most expensive of all of the regions and sub-regions.

Residential Heating Fuel Prices Increase
Residential heating oil prices continued to rise during the period ending January 24, 2011. The average residential heating oil price increased to about $3.48 per gallon, $0.03 per gallon over last week and $0.58 per gallon more than last year at this time. Wholesale heating oil prices increased by $0.01 per gallon last week, reaching a price of $2.75 per gallon. This is $0.72 per gallon higher than last year's price.

The average residential propane price increased by $0.02 per gallon to almost reach $2.81 per gallon. This was an increase of $0.13 per gallon compared to the $2.68 per gallon average from the same period last year. Wholesale propane prices decreased slightly with the overall price just shy of $1.45 per gallon. This was an increase of $0.02 per gallon compared to the January 25, 2010 price of $1.43 per gallon.

Propane Stocks Continue to Declines
Total U.S. inventories of propane registered a seasonal drop of 3.3 million barrels last week, ending at 41.8 million barrels. The Midwest region drew 1.8 million barrels of propane inventory and the Gulf Coast stocks dropped by 1.4 million barrels. The Rocky Mountain/West Coast stocks fell 0.1 million barrels, while the East Coast stocks were down slightly. Propylene non-fuel use inventories represented 5.9 percent of total propane inventories.

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