| Key Terms |
Definition |
| All Other Motor Gasoline Blending Components |
Naphthas (e.g. straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for
blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline. Includes receipts and inputs of Gasoline
Treated as Blendstock (GTAB). Excludes conventional blendstock for oxygenate blending (CBOB),
reformulated blendstock for oxygenate blending, oxygenates (e.g. fuel ethanol and methyl
tertiary butyl ether), butane, and pentanes plus.
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| Barrel |
A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
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| Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (CBOB) |
Conventional gasoline blendstock intended for blending with oxygenates downstream of the
refinery where it was produced. CBOB must become conventional gasoline after blending with
oxygenates. Motor gasoline blending components that require blending other than with
oxygenates to become finished conventional gasoline are reported as "All Other Motor Gasoline
Blending Components." Excludes reformulated blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB).
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| Conventional Gasoline |
Finished motor gasoline not included in the oxygenated or reformulated gasoline categories.
Excludes reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB)
as well as other blendstock.
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| Crude Oil |
A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase in natural underground
reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through
surface separating facilities. Depending upon the characteristics of the crude
stream, it may also include:
Small amounts of hydrocarbons that exist in gaseous phase in natural
underground reservoirs but are liquid at atmospheric pressure after being
recovered from oil well (casinghead) gas in lease separators and are subsequently
commingled with the crude stream without being separately measured. Lease
condensate recovered as a liquid from natural gas wells in lease or field
separation facilities and later mixed into the crude stream is also included;
Small amounts of nonhydrocarbons produced with the oil, such as sulfur and
various metals;
Drip gases, and liquid hydrocarbons produced from tar sands, oil sands,
gilsonite, and oil shale.
Liquids produced at natural gas processing plants are excluded. Crude oil is refined to produce
a wide array of petroleum products, including heating oils; gasoline, diesel and jet fuels;
lubricants; asphalt; ethane, propane, and butane; and many other products used for their
energy or chemical content.
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| Crude Oil Production |
The volume of crude oil produced from oil reservoirs during given periods of time. The amount
of such production for a given period is measured as volumes delivered from lease storage
tanks (i.e., the point of custody transfer) to pipelines, trucks, or other media for transport
to refineries or terminals with adjustments for (1) net differences between opening and
closing lease inventories, and (2) basic sediment and water (BS&W).
|
| Days of Supply |
A measure of the adequacy of inventories. It is calculated by taking the current
stock level and dividing by product supplied (used as an estimate of demand)
averaged over the most recent four-week period. For crude oil, refinery inputs of
crude oil are used as a proxy for demand.
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| Distillate Fuel Oil |
A general classification for one of the petroleum fractions produced in conventional
distillation operations. It includes diesel fuels and fuel oils. Products known as No. 1,
No. 2, and No. 4 diesel fuel are used in on-highway diesel engines, such as those in trucks
and automobiles, as well as off-highway engines, such as those in railroad locomotives and
agricultural machinery. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils are used primarily
for space heating and electric power generation.
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| Exports |
Shipments of crude oil and petroleum products from the 50 States and the District of Columbia
to foreign countries, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions and territories.
|
| Finished Motor Gasoline |
A complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without small quantities of
additives, blended to form a fuel suitable for use in spark-ignition engines. Motor gasoline,
as defined in ASTM Specification D 4814 or Federal Specification VV-G-1690C, is characterized
as having a boiling range of 122 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10 percent recovery point to
365 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90 percent recovery point. Motor Gasoline includes
conventional gasoline; all types of oxygenated gasoline, including gasohol; and
reformulated gasoline, but excludes aviation gasoline. Note: Volumetric data on blending
components, such as oxygenates, are not counted in data on finished motor gasoline until
the blending components are blended into the gasoline. Finished motor gasoline includes
all ethanol blended gasoline (e.g. E10, E85).
|
| Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB) |
Non-certified Foreign Refinery gasoline classified by an importer as blendstock to be either
blended or reclassified with respect to reformulated or conventional gasoline. GTAB is
classified as either reformulated or conventional based on emissions performance and the
intended end use.
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| Gross Inputs |
The crude oil, unfinished oils, and natural gas plant liquids put into atmospheric crude oil
distillation units.
|
| High-Sulfur Distillate Fuel Oil |
Distillate fuel oil having sulfur content greater than 500 ppm.
|
| Imports |
Receipts of crude oil and petroleum products into the 50 States and the District of Columbia
from foreign countries, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions and territories.
|
| Jet Fuel |
Includes Kerosene-type (Commercial or Military) and Naphtha-type.
|
| Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel |
A kerosene-based product having a maximum distillation temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit
at the 10-percent recovery point and a final maximum boiling point of 572 degrees Fahrenheit
and meeting ASTM Specification D 1655 and Military Specifications MIL-T-5624P and MIL-T-83133D
(Grades JP-5 and JP-8). It is used for commercial and military turbojet and turboprop aircraft
engines.
Commercial - Kerosene-type jet fuel intended for use in commercial aircraft.
Military - Kerosene-type jet fuel intended for use in military aircraft.
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| Low-Sulfur Distillate Fuel Oil |
Distillate fuel oil having sulfur
content greater than 15 ppm to 500 ppm. Low sulfur distillate fuel
oil also includes product with sulfur content equal to or less than
15 ppm if the product is intended for pipeline shipment and the
pipeline has a sulfur specification below 15 ppm.
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| Motor Gasoline Blending |
Mechanical mixing of motor gasoline blending components, and oxygenates when required, to
produce finished motor gasoline. Finished motor gasoline may be further mixed with other
motor gasoline blending components or oxygenates, resulting in increased volumes of
finished motor gasoline and/or changes in the formulation of finished motor gasoline
(e.g., conventional motor gasoline mixed with MTBE to produce oxygenated motor gasoline).
|
| Motor Gasoline Blending Components |
Naphthas (e.g., straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for
blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline. These components include reformulated
gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) but exclude oxygenates (alcohols, ethers),
butane, and pentanes plus. Note: Oxygenates are reported as individual components and are
included in the total for other hydrocarbons, hydrogens, and oxygenates.
|
| Naphtha-Type Jet Fuel |
A fuel in the heavy naphtha boiling range having an average gravity of 52.8 degrees API,
20 to 90 percent distillation temperatures of 290 degrees to 470 degrees Fahrenheit, and
meeting Military Specification MIL-T-5624L (Grade JP-4). It is used primarily for military
turbojet and turboprop aircraft engines because it has a lower freeze point than other
aviation fuels and meets engine requirements at high altitudes and speeds. Note: Beginning
with January 2004 data, naphtha-type jet fuel is included in "Other Oils".
|
| Net Imports |
Imports minus exports.
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| OPRG |
"Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline" is reformulated gasoline which is intended
for use in an oxygenated fuels program control area.
|
| Operable Capacity |
The amount of capacity that, at the beginning of the period, is in operation; not in operation
and not under active repair, but capable of being placed in operation within 30 days; or not
in operation but under active repair that can be completed within 90 days. Operable capacity
is the sum of the operating and idle capacity and is measured in barrels per calendar day or
barrels per stream day.
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| Other Oils |
Includes aviation gasoline, kerosene, natural gas liquids, LRGs, other hydrocarbons and
oxygenates, aviation gasoline blending components, naphtha and other oils for petrochemical
feedstock use, special naphthas, lube oils, waxes, coke, asphalt, road oil, and miscellaneous oils.
Includes naphtha-type jet fuel beginning in 2004. Propane/propylene were included with
other oils prior to 2004.
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| Oxygenated Gasoline (Including Gasahol) |
Oxygenated gasoline includes all finished motor gasoline, other than reformulated gasoline,
having oxygen content of 2.0 percent or higher by weight. Gasohol containing a minimum
5.7 percent ethanol by volume is included in oxygenated gasoline. Oxygenated gasoline was
reported as a separate product from January 1993 until December 2003 inclusive. Beginning
with monthly data for January 2004, oxygenated gasoline is included in conventional gasoline.
Historical data for oxygenated gasoline excluded Federal Oxygenated Program Reformulated Gasoline
(OPRG). Historical oxygenated gasoline data also excluded other reformulated gasoline with a
seasonal oxygen requirement regardless of season.
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| Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts |
Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts
by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined
during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation.
Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.
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| Percent Utilization |
Represents the utilization of all crude oil distillation units. The rate is calculated by
dividing gross inputs to these units by the operating/operable refining capacity of the unit.
|
| Petroleum Products |
Petroleum products are obtained from the processing of crude oil (including lease condensate),
natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. Petroleum products include unfinished oils,
liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet
fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical
feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas,
and miscellaneous products.
|
| Ppm |
Parts per million.
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| Product Supplied |
Approximately represents consumption of petroleum products because it measures the
disappearance of these products from primary sources, i.e., refineries, natural gas
processing plants, blending plants, pipelines, and bulk terminals. In general, product
supplied of each product in any given period is computed as follows: field production, plus
refinery production, plus imports, plus unaccounted for crude oil, (plus net receipts when
calculated on a PAD District basis), minus stock change, minus crude oil losses, minus refinery
inputs, minus exports.
|
| Production |
Petroleum products produced at a refinery, natural gas processing plant, or blending plant.
Published production equals production minus input. Negative production will occur when the
amount of a product produced during the reporting period is less than the amount of that same
product that is reprocessed (input) or reclassified to become another product during the same
reporting period.
|
| Propane (C3H8) |
A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils
at a temperature of - 43.67 degrees Fahrenheit. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery
gas streams. It includes all products designated in ASTM Specification D1835 and Gas Processors
Association Specifications for commercial propane and HD-5 propane.
|
| Propylene (C3H6) |
An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery processes or petrochemical processes.
|
| Propylene (C3H6) (nonfuel use) |
Propylene that is intended for use in nonfuel applications such as petrochemical manufacturing.
Nonfuel use propylene includes chemical-grade propylene, polymer-grade propylene, and trace
amounts of propane. Nonfuel use propylene also includes the propylene component of
propane/propylene mixes where the propylene will be separated from the mix in a
propane/propylene splitting process. Excluded is the propylene component of propane/propylene
mixes where the propylene component of the mix is intended for sale into the fuel market.
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| RBOB for Blending with Alcohol |
Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an alcohol component
(e.g. fuel ethanol) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
|
| RBOB for Blending with Ether |
Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an ether component
(e.g. methyl tertiary butyl ether) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
|
| Refinery |
An installation that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils,
natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, and oxygenates.
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| Refinery Input, Crude Oil |
Total crude oil (domestic plus foreign) input to crude oil distillation units and other
refinery processing units (cokers, etc.).
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| Refinery Input, Total |
The raw materials and intermediate materials processed at refineries to produce finished petroleum
products. They include crude oil, products of natural gas processing plants, unfinished oils,
other hydrocarbons and oxygenates, motor gasoline and aviation gasoline blending components
and finished petroleum products.
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| Reformulated (Blended with Alcohol) |
Reformulated gasoline blended with an alcohol component (e.g. fuel ethanol) at a
terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
|
| Reformulated (Blended with Ether) |
Reformulated gasoline blended with an ether component (e.g. methyl tertiary butyl ether)
at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
|
| Reformulated (Non-Oxygenated) |
Reformulated gasoline without added ether or alcohol components.
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| Reformulated Blendstock for Oxgenate Blending (RBOB) |
Specially produced reformulated gasoline blendstock intended for blending with oxygenates
downstream of the refinery where it is produced. Includes RBOB used to meet
requirements of the Federal reformulated gasoline program and other blendstock intended
for blending with oxygenates to produce finished gasoline that meets or exceeds emissions
performance requirements of Federal reformulated gasoline (e.g. California RBOB and
Arizona RBOB). Excludes conventional gasoline blendstocks for oxygenate blending (CBOB).
|
| Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) |
Finished gasoline formulated for use in motor vehicles, the
composition and properties of which meet the requirements of the reformulated gasoline
regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 211(k)
of the Clean Air Act. It includes gasoline produced to meet or exceed emissions performance
and benzene content standards of federal-program reformulated gasoline even though the gasoline
may not meet all of the composition requirements (e.g. oxygen content) of federal-program
reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline excludes Reformulated Blendstock for Oxygenate
Blending (RBOB) and Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB). Historical reformulated gasoline
statistics included Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline (OPRG).
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| Residual Fuel Oil |
A general classification for the heavier oils, known as No. 5 and No. 6 fuel oils, that remain
after the distillate fuel oils and lighter hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery operations.
It conforms to ASTM Specifications D396 and D975 and Federal Specification VV-F-815C.
No. 5, a residual fuel oil of medium viscosity, is also known as Navy Special and is defined in
Military Specification MIL-F-859E, including Amendment 2 (NATO Symbol F-770). It is used in
steam-powered vessels in government service and inshore powerplants. No. 6 fuel oil includes
Bunker C fuel oil and is used for the production of electric power, space heating, vessel
bunkering, and various industrial purposes.
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| Stocks |
Inventories of fuel stored for future use. Stocks are reported as of the last day of the period
(e.g., week or month).
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| Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) |
Petroleum stocks maintained by the Federal Government for use during periods of major supply
interruption.
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| Sulfur |
A yellowish nonmetallic element, sometimes known as "brimstone." It is present at various
levels of concentration in many fossil fuels.
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| Total Motor Gasoline |
Includes finished motor gasoline and motor gasoline blending components.
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| Ultra-Low Sulfur Distillate Fuel Oil |
Distillate fuel oil having
sulfur content of 15 ppm or lower. Ultra-low sulfur distillate fuel
oil that will be shipped by pipeline must satisfy the sulfur
specification of the shipping pipeline if the pipeline specification
is below 15 ppm. Distillate fuel oil intended for pipeline shipment
that fails to meet a pipeline sulfur specification that is below 15
ppm will be classified as low-sulfur distillate fuel oil.
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| Unfinished Oils |
All oils requiring further processing, except those requiring only mechanical blending.
Unfinished oils are produced by partial refining of crude oil and include naphthas and
lighter oils, kerosene and light gas oils, heavy gas oils, and residuum.
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