The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has made the following changes to petroleum supply data effective in Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) data released on March 31.

EIA has discontinued collecting survey data and reporting stocks of propylene held at bulk terminals. Beginning with monthly data for January 2019, U.S. and regional stocks of propylene reported by EIA include only barrels of propylene held at refineries; barrels of propylene held at bulk terminals are excluded. EIA also recalculated quantities of stock change and demand measured as product supplied using only stocks of propylene held at refineries. EIA discontinued reporting propylene stocks held at bulk terminals in order to eliminate the possibility of counting barrels of petroleum delivered for use as input to petrochemical cracking units as demand measured as product supplied and then later counting the same barrels as bulk terminal stocks of propylene.

EIA will no longer collect survey data on ending stocks, imports, and input to blending of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), and other oxygenates, but will collect survey data on production of MTBE, ETBE, and other oxygenates. Beginning with monthly data for January 2019, EIA halted the reporting of U.S. and regional totals for production, imports, adjustments, stock change, input to blending, and exports of MTBE, ETBE, and other oxygenates. EIA will continue to report U.S. and regional fuel ethanol production, import, adjustment, stock change, input, and export quantities in supply and disposition tables and other tables in the PSM and on Petroleum Navigator as in the past.

EIA also wanted to eliminate double counting isobutane and isobutylene barrels as both product supplied of isobutane and isobutylene and also as production of ethers in supply and disposition tables.

EIA plans to incorporate these changes in the Weekly Petroleum Supply Status Report for the week ending April 10, published on April 15.

SOURCE: The Weekly Propane Newsletter, April 2, 2020. Subscribe to receive all the latest posted and spot prices from all major terminals and refineries around the U.S., featuring a center spread of posted prices that includes hundreds of postings completely updated each week, market analysis, insightful commentary and more.