The changing U.S. energy trade balance is still dominated by crude oil imports
During the past decade, the U.S. trade gap for energy products has narrowed. From 2003 to 2007, the value of energy imports was about 10 times greater than the value of exports. By 2017, imports were only about 1.5 times greater than exports according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
U.S. nuclear plant outages increased in September after remaining low during summer
Electric generation capacity losses as a result of U.S. nuclear plant outages were relatively low during much of the 2018 summer, averaging 2.8 gigawatts (GW) from June through August. This year’s seasonal maintenance and refueling cycle began earlier than in recent years, and total nuclear outages averaged 14.5 GW in the last week of September. The earlier-than-expected retirement of the Oyster Creek Generating Station and a temporary plant shutdown related to Hurricane Florence also increased outages in September.
Tags: generation, electricity, nuclear, outages, power plants
Natural gas storage likely to enter winter at lowest levels since 2005
EIA forecasts that natural gas inventories will reach 3,263 billion cubic feet (Bcf) at the end of October in its recently released October Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), the lowest end-of-October level for U.S. natural gas inventories since 2005. Lingering cold temperatures in April 2018, the coldest April in the past 21 years, delayed the start of the natural gas storage refill season by about four weeks. Coupled with heavy natural gas withdrawals in January 2018, the delayed start to the refill season led to storage levels that have remained lower than the previous five-year minimum. However, late-season injections during the past four weeks have been close to their five-year averages, with injections averaging 81 Bcf compared with the five-year average of 82 Bcf.
Combined wind and solar made up at least 20% of electric generation in 10 states in 2017
Wind and solar electric generation, including small-scale solar photovoltaics, reached or exceeded 20% of total generation in 10 states in 2017. During some months in 2017, wind accounted for more than 50% of in-state electricity generation in Iowa and Kansas, and solar accounted for more than 20% of in-state electricity generation in California. Total annual generation from wind and solar in the United States in 2017 reached 8% for the year and peaked at 11% in April of that year.
Tags: generation, electricity, wind, solar, California, states, Iowa
U.S. home heating bills likely to be slightly higher this winter
Note: The propane price is the weighted average of Midwest and Northeast prices. Prices for all other fuels reflect national averages.
Most U.S. households can expect higher heating expenditures this winter (October through March) compared with last winter according to EIA's Winter Fuels Outlook. Higher expected winter heating expenditures are mainly the result of higher prices for heating fuels, as temperatures are expected to be similar to last winter in much of the country. More information about EIA’s expectations for winter fuels prices and expenditures is available in the Short-Term Energy Outlook supplement on winter fuels, released at noon today.
The United States continues to increase production of lighter crude oil
As domestic production continues to increase, the average density of crude oil produced in the United States continues to become lighter. The average API gravity—a measure of a crude oil’s density where higher numbers mean lower density—of U.S. crude oil increased in 2017 and through the first six months of 2018. Crude oil production with an API gravity greater than 40 degrees grew by 310,000 barrels per day (b/d) to more than 4.6 million b/d in 2017. This increase represents 53% of total Lower 48 production in 2017, an increase from 50% in 2015, the earliest year for which EIA has oil production data by API gravity.
Hurricane path, not just size, can have a large effect on oil and gas production
The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season produced 13 named storms as of October 5, including 6 hurricanes. The most recent of these storms that made landfall in the United States were Tropical Storm Gordon and Hurricane Florence. Gordon entered the Gulf of Mexico on September 3, triggering the first shut-in oil and natural gas production of the 2018 season. Hurricane Florence struck the East Coast on September 14 and had no impact on Gulf of Mexico production.
Both natural gas supply and demand have increased from year-ago levels
In the first half of 2018, U.S. natural gas supply and demand grew significantly compared to the first half of 2017. According to EIA’s Natural Gas Monthly, natural gas consumption and exports averaged 93.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) during the first half of 2018, or 12% greater than during the first half of 2017. Total supply of U.S. natural gas, including domestic production, imports, and storage withdrawals, averaged 93.3 Bcf/d during the first half of 2018, a 12% increase from the first half of 2017.
U.S. uranium imports continue as domestic production remains at historical lows
During 2017, owners and operators of U.S. nuclear power plants purchased 40 million pounds of uranium from foreign suppliers. Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan represented the top five countries of origin and together accounted for 84% of total U.S. uranium purchases in 2017. A little more than half of these purchases originated from Canada and Australia, which provided 14 million pounds and 8 million pounds of uranium, respectively. The United States supplied 3 million pounds, or 7% of total uranium purchased by U.S. power plants.
Crude oil entering Gulf Coast refineries has become lighter as imports have declined
The density of crude oil processed by U.S. Gulf Coast refineries has become lighter since 2008 as refineries moved away from heavier imported crude oil to lighter crude oil produced in Texas. The Gulf Coast is home to most of the nation’s petroleum refineries, and these refineries tend to run a diverse mix of crude oils that, similar to the national average, has become lighter since 2008.