US ethanol output rebounds from freeze: EIA

US ethanol production rose 29pc last week as plants in the midcontinent and Gulf coast recovered from unusually frigid weather that disrupted power supplies.

Domestic ethanol production for the week ended 26 February rose to 849,000 b/d, up from 658,000 b/d a week earlier. In the midcontinent, which accounts for the bulk of US capacity, ethanol production rose almost 29pc to 811,000 b/d. Production in the US Gulf coast increased five-fold to 10,000 b/d, while output in the Rocky Mountain region rose by 80pc to 9,000 b/d.

Compared with a year earlier, US ethanol production was down by 21pc.

US ethanol inventories fell to 22.4mn bl, down by 1.6pc from the prior week and 10pc lower than a year earlier. Week-over-week draws were reported across all regions except for the midcontinent, where ethanol stocks rose by 1.4pc to 7.4mn bl. Inventories in the US west coast led declines, falling by 7.6pc to 2.3mn bl.

Implied gasoline demand of 8.1mn b/d was up by 13pc from the prior week but down by 11pc from a year earlier.

Ethanol blending was reported at 814,000 b/d, up by 12pc from the prior week but 9.3pc lower than the same week last year.

By Jacqueline Reigle