The United States now exports crude oil to more destinations than it imports from
As U.S. crude oil export volumes have increased to an average of 2.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in the first seven months of 2019, the number of destinations (which includes countries, territories, autonomous regions, and other administrative regions) that receive U.S. exports has also increased. Earlier this year, the number of U.S. crude oil export destinations surpassed the number of sources of U.S. crude oil imports that EIA tracks.
Global energy consumption driven by more electricity in residential, commercial buildings
Energy used in the buildings sector—which includes residential and commercial structures—accounted for 20% of global delivered energy consumption in 2018. In its International Energy Outlook 2019 (IEO2019) Reference case, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that global energy consumption in buildings will grow by 1.3% per year on average from 2018 to 2050. In countries that are not part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (non-OECD countries), EIA projects that energy consumed in buildings will grow by more than 2% per year, or about five times the rate of OECD countries.
Natural gas inventories surpass five-year average for the first time in two years
Working natural gas inventories in the Lower 48 states totaled 3,519 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ending October 11, 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR). This is the first week that Lower 48 states’ working gas inventories have exceeded the previous five-year average since September 22, 2017. Weekly injections in three of the past four weeks each surpassed 100 Bcf, or about 27% more than typical injections for that time of year.
Tags: storage, natural gas, inventories/stocks
EIA’s Hourly Electric Grid Monitor shows effects of California wildfire-related shutoffs
Starting on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, California electric utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) shut off electricity to hundreds of thousands of customers in 34 California counties. PG&E had restored electricity to all of those customers by Saturday, October 12. PG&E attributed its decision to shut off electricity to gusty winds and dry conditions in the area, which increases the risk of fires that could be caused or exacerbated by damaged power lines and other electric equipment. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Hourly Electric Grid Monitor shows the effect of the shutoff event within PG&E and on the larger electric grid system in California.
Tags: electricity, weather, California, states
U.S. Federal Gulf of Mexico crude oil production to continue to set records through 2020
U.S. crude oil production in the U.S. Federal Gulf of Mexico (GOM) averaged 1.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2018, setting a new annual record. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects oil production in the GOM to set new production records in 2019 and in 2020, even after accounting for shut-ins related to Hurricane Barry in July 2019 and including forecasted adjustments for hurricane-related shut-ins for the remainder of 2019 and for 2020.
Northeast natural gas spot prices fall as pipelines fill
Natural gas flows out of the Northeast region into the rest of the United States averaged more than 16 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) during September—between 1 Bcf/d and 2 Bcf/d more than in previous months, according to data from Genscape. The movement of natural gas has increased as natural gas spot prices have declined in the Northeast and as production in Appalachia has continued to grow.
Tags: natural gas, spot prices, pipelines, Northeast
Crude oil used by U.S. refineries continues to get lighter in most regions
The API gravity of crude oil input to U.S. refineries has generally increased, or gotten lighter, since 2011 because of changes in domestic production and imports. Regionally, refinery crude slates—or the mix of crude oil grades that a refinery is processing—have become lighter in the East Coast, Gulf Coast, and West Coast regions, and they have become slightly heavier in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions.
Tags: liquid fuels, crude oil, oil/petroleum, refineries
California gasoline prices have risen 60 cents per gallon in the past three weeks
Gasoline prices in California have increased by a total of 60 cents per gallon (gal) in the past three weeks, according to data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. Regular retail gasoline prices averaged $4.09/gal as of Monday, October 7, the highest price for the state since mid-2014. Several refineries in the area are experiencing operational issues, which has limited gasoline production.
Tags: prices, gasoline, liquid fuels, California, states
Recent decrease in U.S. crude oil production was geographically isolated, likely temporary
Monthly U.S. crude oil production fell by 276,000 barrels per day (b/d) in July 2019, based on the latest data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Petroleum Supply Monthly. This hurricane-related decrease was the largest decline in monthly crude oil production in more than a decade. The decline was temporary and geographically isolated to the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico. EIA expects that U.S. crude oil production will continue to increase through the remainder of 2019.
Winter energy bills in the United States likely to be lower than last year’s
Note: The propane price is the weighted average of Midwest and Northeast prices. All other fuels reflect national averages.
Republished at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct 9 to correct the percent change in propane expenditures.
On average across the United States, households can expect heating expenditures this winter (October through March) to be lower than last winter’s, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Winter Fuels Outlook, released at noon today. EIA expects households that primarily use electricity or natural gas as their heating source to spend slightly less than last winter, households that use heating oil to spend 4% less, and households that use propane to spend 15% less. Only natural gas bills in the South are likely to rise significantly, by about 4%, primarily as a result of higher regional natural gas prices. EIA’s forecast of winter heating expenditures are based on fuel price and consumption forecasts from EIA and weather forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).