China imported record amounts of crude oil in 2023
China, the world’s largest importer of crude oil, imported 11.3 million barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil in 2023, 10% more than in 2022, according to China customs data. Refiners in China imported record volumes of crude oil in 2023 to supply the country’s increasing refining capacity in order to support the country’s transportation fuel needs and produce feedstocks for its growing petrochemical industry.
Read More ›The United States exported a record volume of natural gas in 2023
The United States exported 10% more natural gas in 2023 than in 2022, a record of 20.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), according to our Natural Gas Monthly. U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports accounted for more than half of all U.S. natural gas exports, and natural gas exports by pipeline to Canada and Mexico accounted for the remainder.
Read More ›Natural gas filled in most of the drop in solar generation in Texas during April 8 eclipse
Note: X-axis shows central time. ERCOT=Electric Reliability Council of Texas
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse briefly but fully obscured sunlight to utility-scale solar electric generation facilities along the eclipse’s path, from Texas through Maine. Texas was especially affected because of how much solar capacity was in the path of totality.
Read More ›Tags: natural gas, generation, electricity, Texas, solar, states
Mild winter weather may lead to persistently high natural gas inventories through 2025
Data values: U.S. Natural Gas Supply, Consumption, and Inventories
U.S. working natural gas inventories ended the winter heating season (November 1–March 31) at 2,290 billion cubic feet (Bcf), 39% more than the previous five-year (2019–23) average. Relatively high natural gas inventories all winter have contributed to record-low Henry Hub natural gas spot prices. The surplus to the five-year average grew over winter 2023–24 because of mild weather, low natural gas consumption, and high natural gas production. In our April Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we expect natural gas inventories to remain relatively high and natural gas spot prices to remain relatively low through 2025.
Read More ›Introducing the Wholesale Electricity Market Portal
Yesterday, we publicly released the new Wholesale Electricity Market Portal to help users examine and access electricity markets data in the seven Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators.
Read More ›How accurate were EIA’s Winter Fuels Outlook forecasts?
Data values: Winter Fuels Outlook
Every October, in our Winter Fuels Outlook, we publish forecasts for residential energy consumption, prices, and expenditures for the upcoming winter months. Generally, these forecasts have performed well. Our October forecasts for energy expenditures during the five-month period from November 2023 through March 2024 were within 3% of our final estimates for homes primarily heated with natural gas, electricity, and propane. Estimated energy expenditures for homes primarily heated with heating oil were 13% lower than our October forecast because of mild winter weather and lower-than-expected crude oil prices.
Read More ›Solar capacity additions are changing the shape of daily electricity supply in Texas
Reposted on April 10, 2024 to correct multiple errors.
Note: Other fuels include coal, natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear. Utility-scale solar only. Winter is the full months of December, January, and February. ERCOT=Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
The electricity mix of energy sources in Texas, managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electricity grid operator, changed noticeably in 2023. Although wind power remains the largest source of renewable power in the state, the installation of new wind turbine capacity slowed in 2023, while additions of solar generating capacity, often co-located with storage, grew rapidly. With more solar capacity on the ERCOT electricity grid, we expect less use of natural gas generation during the middle of the day when solar generation displaces it. We also expect less use of natural gas in the summer when electricity demand is at its highest in Texas. However, natural gas will continue to be a key source of electricity generation in the evening when demand is high and solar generation diminishes as the sun goes down.
Read More ›Tags: generation, electricity, renewables, Texas, solar, states
U.S. refiners and chemical manufacturers lead hydrogen production and consumption
U.S. manufacturers specializing in chemicals and petroleum refining have traditionally accounted for the largest shares of both hydrogen consumption and production, and they pay the least for it. With new legislation, we expect changes to how hydrogen is consumed and distributed in the country.
Read More ›April 8 solar eclipse will briefly limit solar electricity generation across the country
On April 8, 2024, a full solar eclipse will briefly but fully obscure sunlight to utility-scale solar generation facilities from Texas through Maine with a combined 6.5 gigawatts (GW) of capacity. In addition, the eclipse will partially block sunlight to facilities with a combined 84.8 GW of capacity in an even larger swath of the United States around peak solar generating time.
Read More ›Tags: generation, electricity, solar, map
EIA now publishes interregional renewable diesel rail shipment data
In our March Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM), we introduced data on the interregional movement of renewable diesel. These new data add to our existing tanker and barge movement coverage for renewable diesel. With the new data, we now capture most of the renewable diesel movements to the U.S. West Coast, the region where most of the renewable diesel is consumed in the United States.
Read More ›Tags: renewables, Oregon, liquid fuels, diesel, California, states, biofuels, map, Washington, rail
U.S. ethane production, consumption, and exports set new records again in 2023
U.S. ethane production, consumption, and exports established new record highs in 2023, according to data from our Petroleum Supply Monthly. Continued growth in ethane consumption in the global petrochemical sector and rising ethane recovery associated with natural gas production drove these increases.
Read More ›U.S. petroleum product exports set another record high in 2023
Note: Total motor gasoline includes finished motor gasoline and gasoline blending components. HGLs=hydrocarbon gas liquids
Petroleum product exports from the United States averaged a record 6.1 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2023, a 2.5% increase from 2022, according to our Petroleum Supply Monthly. Propane drove the growth in U.S. petroleum product exports, offsetting decreases in gasoline and distillate exports.
Read More ›The United States was the world’s largest liquefied natural gas exporter in 2023
The United States exported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) than any other country in 2023. U.S. LNG exports averaged 11.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)—a 12% increase (1.3 Bcf/d) compared with 2022, according to data from our Natural Gas Monthly.
Read More ›What are the energy impacts from the Port of Baltimore closure?
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge into the Patapsco River on March 26 has temporarily halted all shipping traffic from the Port of Baltimore. In this article, we examine implications for energy-related trade.
Read More ›Tags: coal, exports/imports
U.S. natural gas production grew by 4% in 2023, similar to 2022
U.S. natural gas production grew by 4% in 2023, or 5.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), to average 125.0 Bcf/d, according to our Natural Gas Monthly. The Natural Gas Monthly was recently updated with natural gas production data through December 2023. In 2023, three regions—Appalachia, Permian, and Haynesville—accounted for 59% of all natural gas production in the United States, similar to 2022, based on our Drilling Productivity Report (DPR). The DPR measures gross natural gas withdrawals in select onshore regions.
Read More ›Tags: natural gas, Haynesville, Permian, production/supply