WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2017 - Total petroleum deliveries increased 2.4 percent in September from a year earlier and were the highest for the month in a decade, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API).
For the third quarter, total petroleum deliveries, a measure of U.S. petroleum demand, increased 2.1 percent from the same period last year, to nearly 20.4 million barrels per day. For the year through September, total domestic petroleum deliveries increased 1.2 percent compared to the same period in 2016.
“Strong petroleum demand is good news for the overall economy, which grew for the 100th consecutive month, and economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in September,” said API Director of Statistics Hazem Arafa. “This positive economic growth is benefiting America businesses and workers.”
September gasoline deliveries were down from the prior month and from September 2016. Gasoline deliveries through the year’s third quarter also were also down from the first nine months of 2016, but third-quarter deliveries increased. Total September motor gasoline deliveries, a measure of consumer gasoline demand, fell 1.5 percent from August and 0.8 percent from September 2016 to 9.4 million barrels per day – but still were the second-highest September deliveries on record. Compared to third quarter 2016 and the first nine months of 2016, gasoline deliveries increased 0.4 percent and decreased 0.3 percent.
Distillate deliveries were up from the prior year, the prior third quarter, and the prior year to date, but were down from the prior month. Distillate deliveries increased 3.4 percent from September 2016, but were down 2.1 percent from August, to average just above 4 million barrels per day in September. These were the second highest September deliveries in 10 years, since 2007. For the third quarter 2017, distillate deliveries increased 3.7 percent compared to the third quarter of 2016. For the year through September, distillate deliveries were also up 2.3 percent compared with 2016.
U.S. crude oil production remained robust in September and above 9 million barrels a day for the eighth consecutive month. Crude production was up from the prior month, the prior third quarter, the same month in 2016, and for the year through September, averaging 9.5 million barrels per day. This September output was up 2.3 percent from August, and up 11.3 percent from September 2016. September crude oil production was the highest for any September in 47 years, since 1970, and the highest production level for any month in 29 months, since April 2015. For this year’s production through September, crude oil production was also the second highest in 44 years, since 1973.
U.S. total petroleum imports in September averaged 10.2 million barrels per day, up 5.2 percent from August, but down 0.3 percent from September 2016. This was the lowest September import number in two years. For the third quarter 2017, total imports were down 4.2 percent compared with the same period last year. For the year through September, total imports were up 0.8 percent to average nearly 10.2 million barrels per day compared with 2016. Meanwhile, crude oil imports decreased 7.2 percent from September 2016, averaging 7.5 million barrels per day. Compared with August, crude oil imports remained almost flat.
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