Summer 2019 gasoline prices forecast to be lower than last summer

(Wed, 17 Apr 2019) In the April 2019 update of its Summer Fuels Outlook, EIA expects the retail price of U.S. regular-grade gasoline will average $2.76 per gallon (gal) during the summer from April through September 2019. EIA’s expected average is down 3% from the 2018 summer average of $2.85/gal, mainly because EIA expects crude oil prices will be lower than last summer. EIA publishes the <em>Summer Fuels Outlook</em> as a supplement to its monthly <em>Short-Term Energy Outlook</em> (STEO).

One in ten U.S. households pays an energy bill indirectly as part of rent or condo fees

(Thu, 11 Apr 2019) Many U.S. households do not pay energy utilities or other suppliers directly for using electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, or propane but pay indirectly through rent, fees, or to a third party such as a housing authority. Data from the most recent Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) show that, in 2015, 12.4 million of the nation’s 118 million households (11%) paid some or all of their energy costs indirectly.

U.S. natural gas stocks end heating season at the lowest level since 2014

(Thu, 11 Apr 2019) Working natural gas in storage in the Lower 48 states as of March 31, the traditional end of the heating season (November 1–March 31), totaled 1,137 billion cubic feet (Bcf), according to EIA’s Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report released on April 11. As of March 31, estimated working gas stocks were 491 Bcf (30%) lower than the current five-year (2014–18) average for the end of the heating season.

U.S. crude oil production grew 17% in 2018, surpassing the previous record in 1970

(Tue, 09 Apr 2019) Annual U.S. crude oil production reached a record level of 10.96 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2018, 1.6 million b/d (17%) higher than 2017 levels. In December 2018, monthly U.S. crude oil production reached 11.96 million b/d, the highest monthly level of crude oil production in U.S. history. U.S. crude oil production has increased significantly over the past 10 years, driven mainly by production from tight rock formations using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. EIA projects that U.S.

Natural gas design capacity and demonstrated peak capacity both declined slightly in 2018

(Mon, 08 Apr 2019) During the past five years, only a small amount of new underground natural gas storage capacity was built in the Lower 48 states and no new storage facilities have entered operation in that time. EIA measures underground natural gas storage capacity in two ways: design capacity and demonstrated maximum working gas volume (or demonstrated peak). Both of these metrics showed decreases in 2018, with design capacity falling by 0.3%, or 13 Bcf, and demonstrated peak capacity falling by 1.2%, or 54 Bcf.

California imports the most electricity from other states; Pennsylvania exports the most

(Thu, 04 Apr 2019) Electricity routinely flows among the Lower 48 states and, to a lesser extent, between the United States and Canada and Mexico. From 2013 to 2017, Pennsylvania was the largest net exporter of electricity, sending an annual average of 59 million megawatthours (MWh) outside the state. California was the largest net importer, receiving an average of 77 million MWh annually.

Pacific Northwest sees highest daily natural gas spot prices in the U.S. since 2014

(Wed, 03 Apr 2019) Natural gas spot prices at the Sumas trading point on the Canada-Washington border averaged $161.33 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on Friday, March 1, the highest daily spot price recorded by Natural Gas Intelligence anywhere in the United States in at least five years. The price spike was caused by regional supply constraints and unseasonably cold temperatures.

U.S. refinery runs hit fifth consecutive annual record high in 2018

(Tue, 02 Apr 2019) Gross inputs to U.S. petroleum refineries, also referred to as refinery runs, averaged 17.3 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2018, the highest annual average on record and the fifth consecutive year of record-high refinery runs. Refinery runs peaked in June at an average of 18.0 million b/d, with average weekly runs exceeding 18.0 million b/d during six weeks in 2018.

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