Release date: April 7, 2016  |  Next release date: April 13, 2016

EIA tracks monthly ethanol and biodiesel rail movements

EIA recently released new information on ethanol and biodiesel movements by rail. The new monthly estimates are integrated with EIA's existing Petroleum Supply Monthly and include movements beginning in January 2014. Unlike other liquid fuels that are most commonly transported by pipeline, ethanol and biodiesel are more often transported by rail because both fuels attract water and other impurities in pipelines.

The estimates cover rail movements of ethanol and biodiesel within each Petroleum Administration for Defense District (intra-PADD) and between different PADDs (inter-PADD), as well as rail movements to and from Canada (Figure 1). The estimates improve EIA's regional supply and disposition balances by providing information about both the shipments and receipts of ethanol and biodiesel by rail. Previously, only information on imputed net receipts was available.

Origins, destinations, and volumes of ethanol and biodiesel shipped by rail have not experienced much change over the past two years. Almost all ethanol and biodiesel end up in the motor gasoline or diesel pool, respectively. The only other outlet for fuel ethanol or biodiesel is exports, which are small compared with domestic consumption.

In 2015, the ethanol share of gasoline was 9.9%, and the biodiesel share of distillate was 2.4%. Most ethanol and biodiesel is produced in the Midwest (PADD 2), where it is then shipped to other regions. In 2015, the Midwest shipped 593,000 barrels per day (b/d) of ethanol by rail and 16,000 b/d of biodiesel by rail. The East Coast (PADD 1) receives almost half of the ethanol moved by rail. Biodiesel by rail receipts are about the same in all regions except the Mountain region (PADD 4).

U.S. average retail regular gasoline prices increase, diesel fuel prices mixed

The U.S. average retail regular gasoline price increased two cents from the previous week to $2.08 per gallon on April 4, down 33 cents from the same time last year. The Midwest gasoline price increased three cents to $1.99 per gallon. The Rocky Mountain price rose two cents to $1.97 per gallon. The East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast prices each increased one cent to $2.03 per gallon, $2.58 per gallon, and $1.87 per gallon, respectively.

The U.S. average diesel fuel price decreased less than a cent to remain at $2.12 per gallon, down 67 cents from the same time last year. The Gulf Coast price decreased by two cents to $1.98 per gallon, while the Midwest price fell one cent to $2.07 per gallon. These decreases offset increases in the Rocky Mountain price, up three cents to $2.12 per gallon, and the West Coast price, which remained virtually unchanged at $2.32 per gallon. The East Coast price was unchanged from the previous week, remaining at $2.18 per gallon.

Propane inventories gain

U.S. propane stocks increased by 2.0 million barrels last week to 64.9 million barrels as of April 1, 2016, 6.9 million barrels (11.9%) higher than a year ago. Gulf Coast and Midwest inventories increased by 1.5 million barrels and 0.3 million barrels, respectively, while Rocky Mountain/West Coast and East Coast inventories each increased by 0.1 million barrels. Propylene non-fuel-use inventories represented 5.7% of total propane inventories.

For questions about This Week in Petroleum, contact the Petroleum Markets Team at 202-586-4522.

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Retail prices (dollars per gallon)

	Retail prices	Change from last
	04/04/16	Week	Year
Gasoline	2.083	0.017	-0.330
Diesel	2.115	-0.006	-0.669

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Futures prices (dollars per gallon*)

	Futures prices	Change from last
	04/01/16	Week	Year
Crude oil	36.79	NA	NA
Gasoline	1.402	NA	NA
Heating oil	1.132	NA	NA
*Note: Crude oil price in dollars per barrel.
Markets were closed on 3/25/2016 and 4/3/2015.

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Stocks (million barrels)

	Stocks	Change from last
	04/01/16	Week	Year
Crude oil	529.9	-4.9	47.5
Gasoline	244.0	1.4	14.1
Distillate	163.0	1.8	36.1
Propane	64.858	2.033	6.899