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. More »

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. More »

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. More »

U.S. crude oil and natural gas production in 2019 hit records with fewer rigs and wells

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 their lowest levels in more than 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. More »

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. More »

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. 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. More »

Motor gasoline accounted for almost half of U.S. petroleum consumption in 2019

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). More »

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. More »

Almost all U.S. coal production is consumed for electric power

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). More »

U.S. natural gas production efficiency continued to improve in 2019

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) latest Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) was updated on Monday, June 15. Analysis of underlying data on natural gas well efficiency shows how U.S. natural gas production increased in 2019 because, in part, of greater productivity of new wells drilled in shale and tight formations. Initial production rates for natural gas production from new wells in the DPR’s seven regions have generally increased since at least 2007. More »

U.S. coal consumption continues to decline across all sectors

U.S. coal consumption has been declining since its peak in 2007 of 1.1 billion short tons. In 2019, U.S. coal consumption totaled 590 million short tons (MMst). The electric power sector accounts for the majority (more than 90%) of domestic coal consumption, but the industrial and commercial sectors also consume coal. Coal consumption in the industrial and commercial sectors has declined from 98 MMst in 2000 to 48 MMst in 2019. More »

Global electricity consumption continues to rise faster than population

Global electricity consumption continues to increase faster than world population, leading to an increase in the average amount of electricity consumed per person (per capita electricity consumption), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) International Energy Statistics. Electricity is used most commonly in buildings for lighting and appliances, in industrial processes for producing goods, and in transportation for powering rail and light-duty vehicles. Nearly all of the increase is attributable to growing electricity consumption in developing countries outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). More »

The central United States set several wind power records this spring

Earlier this year, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the regional transmission organization that manages the electric grid for much of the central United States, set records for the highest share of electricity demand supplied by wind power in both a single-hour period (72%) and a full day (62%). More »

EIA's liquids pipeline database provides detail on U.S. petroleum infrastructure changes

On June 4, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) updated its Liquids Pipeline Projects Database, which includes a summary of more than 225 liquids pipeline projects in the United States and pipeline projects that cross into Mexico and Canada that are planned, under construction, on hold, or have been completed since 2010. More »

EIA expects 2020 summer U.S. electricity demand to be lowest since 2009

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects U.S. electricity demand to total 998 billion kilowatthours this summer (June through August), the lowest level of summer electricity consumption in the United States since 2009 and 5% less than last summer. More »

March saw major declines in U.S. demand for petroleum productt

As stay-at-home orders and mitigation efforts for the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) took effect and limited travel starting in the second half of March 2020, gasoline and jet fuel demand (as measured by product supplied) fell by near-record amounts, according to data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Petroleum Supply Monthly. More »

U.S. fuel ethanol production and inventory changes have largely followed motor gasoline

U.S. fuel ethanol production fell dramatically during late March and in April 2020, driven by significant reductions in motor gasoline demand as a result of mitigation efforts for the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Fuel ethanol production fell to 537,000 barrels per day (b/d) in the week ending April 24, which was the lowest level on record since June 2010, when the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) began collecting weekly fuel ethanol production data. Because almost all finished motor gasoline sold in the United States is blended with 10% ethanol (E10), the drop in gasoline demand has driven similar decreases in fuel ethanol demand and, correspondingly, fuel ethanol production. More »

Canada is the largest source of U.S. energy imports

Canada is the largest source of U.S. energy imports and the second-largest destination for U.S. energy exports behind only Mexico. Energy is an important component of trade between Canada and the United States. In 2019, based on the latest annual Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) data from the U.S. Census Bureau, energy accounted for US $85 billion, or 27%, of the value of all U.S. imports from Canada. Crude oil and petroleum products accounted for 91% of the value of U.S. energy imports from Canada and 89% of the value of U.S. energy exports to Canada. More »

Lower crude oil prices will mean less exploration and development

According to the financial reports analyzed by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), global expenditures related to oil and natural gas exploration and development (E&D) increased $42 billion (13%) for 102 publicly traded oil companies in 2019, totaling $361 billion. As a result of significant crude oil price declines in 2020, however, global proved reserves will likely be revised downward, and E&D expenditures will also likely decline. Several companies have already announced large budget reductions. More »

U.S. natural gas storage capacity remained relatively unchanged in 2019

Underground natural gas storage capacity in the Lower 48 states has remained relatively flat since 2012. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) measures working natural gas storage capacity in two ways: design capacity and demonstrated peak capacity. Both measures of capacity were relatively unchanged in 2019; design capacity declined 0.4% and demonstrated peak capacity increased 0.1% compared with 2018. For the sixth year in a row, no new storage fields were completed. More »

Renewable diesel drives growth in 2019 biomass-based diesel imports

U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel, which include biodiesel and renewable diesel, grew 26% in 2019 to more than 27,000 barrels per day (b/d), reversing three years of decline. Imports of biomass-based diesel increased in 2019 because of the increase in renewable diesel imports from Singapore. More »

U.S. customers experienced an average of nearly six hours of power interruptions in 2018

Interruptions in electricity service vary in frequency and duration across the nearly 3,000 electric distribution systems in the United States. Power interruptions are caused by many factors, including weather, vegetation patterns, and utility practices. In 2018, power outage durations for U.S. electricity customers averaged 5.8 hours per customer. More »