US Ethanol Production Notches Another All-Time High

By John Perkins

Brownfield

U.S. ethanol production has reached record levels for the fourth time this year.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.031 million barrels per day last week, rising 26,000 from the week before that and 28,000 from a year ago.

The year’s run to several all-time highs is at least partially due to industry demand expectations, with three of those four record weeks coming since Halloween.

Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development says the estimated operating margins for the average Iowa plant did improve a little but are well below the highs of the year.

Ethanol stocks of 22.353 million barrels were a decrease of 157,000 on the week and 283,000 on the year.

The Renewable Fuels Association says net inputs of ethanol purchased by refiners and blenders and the volume of gasoline supplied to the market both saw strong week-to-week improvements.

Ethanol exports averaged 191,000 barrels per day, an increase of 66,000 from the previous week and 28,000 from this time last year.

The USDA’s updated corn for ethanol use guess is out January 12th.