Production and Supply for
Nebraska and Region

Production
As of April 18, 2003

Refineries in the nation are operating at 93.7% capacity.

Gasoline:   Midwest production is 1,904 thousand barrels per day--a decrease of 1.1% from last week.

Diesel:  Midwest production is 653 thousand barrels per day--an increase of 2.2% over last week.

Propane:   Midwest production is 200 thousand barrels per day--an increase of 4.7% from last week.
(Source:  Weekly Petroleum Status Report, Energy Information Administration)

Supply
As of April 18, 2003

Gasoline:   Midwest inventory is 47.9 million barrels--2.2% percent lower than last week's inventory and 3.0% lower than last month's level.  It is psychologically important to keep national stocks at 200 million barrels.  As of April 18, the national stock level is 201.2 million barrels.

Diesel:   Midwest inventory is 20.1 million barrels--3.1% percent higher than last week's inventory and 1.0% up from last month's level.

Propane:   Midwest inventory is 6.8 million barrels--3.0% higher than last week although inventory levels remain below the normal range.  As of April 18, the national inventory level is 22.3 million barrels.  Industry observers believe a 60-million-barrel level for national inventory is adequate prior to the start of the heating season.
(Source:  Weekly Petroleum Status Report, Energy Information Administration)

Natural Gas:   The East Region's inventory, of which Nebraska is a part, is 298 billion cubic feet--12.9% more than last week and 330 billion cubic feet or 52.6% below the normal range.  As of April 18, the national inventory level is 684 billion cubic feet.  Close to 3 trillion cubic feet is generally considered to be adequate for winter demand.  This would require an injection of 2.2 to 2.3 trillion cubic feet between now and the end of October.
(Source:  Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report, Energy Information Administration)