Nonfossil sources accounted for 20% of U.S. energy consumption in 2019
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Overall energy consumption in the United States totaled 100 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2019, only slightly less than the record set in 2018 and the third-highest level of annual U.S. energy consumption ever. About 20% of U.S. energy consumption in 2019 came from sources other than fossil fuels. Several energy sources hit record consumption values in 2019, based on data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Monthly Energy Review: natural gas, nuclear, wind, and solar.
Tags: consumption/demand, coal, natural gas, nuclear, renewables, oil/petroleum
Stay-at-home orders led to less commercial and industrial electricity use in April
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Electric Power Monthly, April residential electricity sales in the United States have increased 8% compared with April 2019. At the same time, the commercial and industrial sectors saw decreases of 11% and 9%, respectively. U.S. residential electricity sales have never been this high in April. Commercial electricity sales in April were the lowest April value since April 2003, and industrial sales were the lowest since April 1987.
U.S. commercial crude oil inventories reach all-time high
Recent declines in demand for petroleum products have led commercial crude oil inventories in the United States to reach an all-time high of 541 million barrels as of the week ending June 19, which is 5 million barrels more than the previous record set in late March 2017, according to data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Weekly Petroleum Status Report.
U.S. refinery capacity sets new record as of January 1, 2020
U.S. operable atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity increased 0.9% during 2019, reaching a record of 19.0 million barrels per calendar day (b/cd), up 0.2 million b/cd from the previous record of 18.8 million b/cd the year before. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) annual Refinery Capacity Report, U.S. operable crude oil distillation unit (CDU) capacity has increased slightly in seven of the past eight years.
Tags: refinery capacity, refineries
U.S. crude oil and natural gas production in 2019 hit records with fewer rigs and wells
Note: Well count data for 2019 are incomplete and may be revised.
Increases in drilling efficiency pushed U.S. crude oil and natural gas production to establish new records of 12.2 million barrels per day (b/d) and 111.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), respectively, in 2019. Using preliminary data for 2019, the average active rig count per month was 943, and the average count of new wells drilled per month was 1,400, according to Baker Hughes rig data and IHS Markit well data. Both the number of active rigs and the number of wells drilled were at the lower end of the range during the past 45 years, despite the record production. One factor that has contributed to the increase in production has been the ability to contact more of the formation using horizontal drilling. The average footage drilled per well was 15,000 feet per well in 2019, reflecting longer horizontal well lengths.
Puerto Rico’s electricity generation mix changed following early 2020 earthquakes
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Power Plant Operations Report, electricity generation in Puerto Rico has shifted toward heavier reliance on petroleum following two earthquakes that struck 9 miles off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico earlier this year.
Tags: generation, coal, electricity, natural gas, renewables, oil/petroleum
U.S. liquefied natural gas exports have declined by more than half so far in 2020
Daily natural gas deliveries to U.S. facilities that produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) for export were a record 9.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in late March 2020, but deliveries fell to less than 4.0 Bcf/d in June, according to data by IHS Markit. A mild winter and COVID-19 mitigation efforts have led to declining global natural gas demand and high natural gas storage inventories in Europe and Asia, reducing the need for LNG imports. Historically low natural gas and LNG spot prices in Europe and Asia have affected the economic viability of U.S. LNG exports. Trade press reports indicate that more than 70 cargoes were canceled for June and July deliveries, and more than 40 cargoes were canceled for August deliveries. In comparison, 74 cargoes were exported from the United States in January 2020.
Motor gasoline accounted for almost half of U.S. petroleum consumption in 2019
Note: Click to enlarge.
Petroleum was the largest primary source of energy consumed in the United States in 2019, accounting for 37% of total energy consumed. In 2019, motor gasoline accounted for about 45% of petroleum products consumed in the United States. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) U.S. petroleum flow diagram visualizes U.S. petroleum supply (production, imports, and withdrawals from storage) and disposition (consumption, exports, and additions to storage).
Higher Western Canada spot prices limit U.S. natural gas imports from Canada
U.S. imports of natural gas by pipeline at U.S.-Canada border crossings in the western United States fell to an estimated average of 6.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in April and 6.3 Bcf/d in May 2020, according to Genscape pipeline flow estimates. Imports by pipeline into these western states account for most U.S. natural gas imports and tend to be less seasonal than imports by pipeline in the eastern United States. In recent months, natural gas spot prices in Alberta, Canada—where nearly all of Canada’s natural gas is produced—have been higher than spot prices at the U.S. natural gas benchmark Henry Hub.
Tags: natural gas, exports/imports, Canada, international, pipelines, prices, storage
Almost all U.S. coal production is consumed for electric power
Note: Click to enlarge.
Coal is one of the main sources of energy in the United States, accounting for 14% of domestic primary energy production in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Monthly Energy Review. Nearly all of the coal consumed in the United States is produced domestically. Most U.S. coal is consumed by the electric power sector to generate electricity, and some coal is exported. The U.S. coal flow diagram visualizes the flow of U.S. coal energy from supply (production and imports) to disposition (consumption, exports, stock withdrawals, and losses).
Tags: production/supply, generation, coal, electricity