Release date: December 30, 2015 | Next release date: January 6, 2016
Happy Holidays
On behalf of the authors, support staff, and the many others at EIA who make This Week In Petroleum possible, best wishes for a safe and happy new year.
This Week In Petroleum will return January 6, 2016.
Accompanying charts and tables have been updated to reflect data from the latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week ending December 25, 2015.
U.S. average retail regular gasoline price changes mixed, diesel fuel prices decrease
The U.S. average retail regular gasoline price increased less than one cent from the previous week to remain at $2.03 per gallon on December 28, 2015, down 27 cents from the same time last year. The West Coast price increased six cents to $2.63 per gallon, followed by the Midwest price, which increased three cents to $1.87 per gallon. The East Coast, Gulf Coast, and Rocky Mountain prices each decreased two cents, to $2.02 per gallon, $1.76 per gallon, and $1.97 per gallon, respectively.
The U.S. average diesel fuel price decreased five cents from last week to $2.24 per gallon, down 98 cents from the same time last year, and the lowest price since May 18, 2009. The Rocky Mountain price fell eight cents to $2.23 per gallon. The Midwest price decreased six cents to $2.16 per gallon. The Gulf Coast, West Coast, and East Coast prices each fell four cents, to $2.14 per gallon, $2.47 per gallon, and $2.28 per gallon, respectively.
Propane inventories gain
U.S. propane stocks increased by 0.1 million barrels last week to 97.7 million barrels as of December 25, 2015, 20.5 million barrels (26.5%) higher than a year ago. Gulf Coast inventories increased by 0.9 million barrels and East Coast inventories increased by 0.2 million barrels. Midwest inventories decreased by 0.7 million barrels while Rocky Mountain/West Coast inventories decreased by 0.3 million barrels. Propylene non-fuel-use inventories represented 3.3% of total propane inventories.
Residential heating oil price decreases while propane price increases
As of December 28, 2015, residential heating oil prices averaged nearly $2.18 per gallon, almost 4 cents per gallon lower than last week and nearly 87 cents lower than one year ago. The average wholesale heating oil price this week is $1.15 per gallon, over 1 cent higher than last week and nearly 85 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.
Residential propane prices averaged $1.99 per gallon, less than 1 cent per gallon more than last week's price and nearly 38 cents lower than one year ago. Wholesale propane prices averaged nearly 45 cents per gallon, almost 3 cents per gallon higher than last week and 18 cents lower than last year's price for the same week.
For questions about This Week in Petroleum, contact the Petroleum Markets Team at 202-586-4522.
Retail prices (dollars per gallon)
| Retail prices | Change from last | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/28/15 | Week | Year | |
| Gasoline | 2.034 | 0.008 | -0.265 |
| Diesel | 2.235 | -0.049 | -0.978 |
| Heating Oil | 2.175 | -0.035 | -0.868 |
| Propane | 1.991 | 0.003 | -0.377 |
Futures prices (dollars per gallon*)
| Futures prices | Change from last | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/24/15 | Week | Year | |
| Crude oil | 38.10 | 3.37 | -16.63 |
| Gasoline | 1.264 | -0.011 | -0.245 |
| Heating oil | 1.101 | -0.006 | -0.807 |
| *Note: Crude oil price in dollars per barrel. | |||
| Note: Markets were closed on 12/25/2015. | |||
Stocks (million barrels)
| Stocks | Change from last | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/25/15 | Week | Year | |
| Crude oil | 487.4 | 2.6 | 102.0 |
| Gasoline | 221.4 | 0.9 | -7.6 |
| Distillate | 153.1 | 1.8 | 27.4 |
| Propane | 97.734 | 0.096 | 20.490 |