

The consumption of motor gasoline in the United States is strongly seasonal, with more consumed in the summer and less consumed in the winter. On a yearly basis, the consumption of motor gasoline in the United States has been steadily increasing as vehicle-miles increased. In the week of August 2, 2001, the consumption of motor gasoline reached a record high of nearly 9.3 million barrels per day. In the most recent reporting week (August 9, 2002), the consumption was almost the same as the record peak of the previous week.
Motor gasoline (more than 90 percent) is refined domestically. Anticipating the strong demand in summer, the motor gasoline supply reached its historical high in the week of June 29, 2001 with an average of 8.9 million barrels per day. By the beginning of August, motor gasoline supply declined to 8.7 million barrels per day, 3 percent lower than June of last year.
| Motor Gasoline Supply (thousand barrels per day) | 2-Aug-02 | 9-Aug-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Production from domestic sources | 8,713 | 8,656 |
| Percent change from previous week | 1.91 | -0.65 |
| Imports | 985 | 667 |
| Percent change from previous week | 13.22 | -32.28 |
| Motor Gasoline Consumption (thousand barrels per day) | 2-Aug-02 | 9-Aug-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor gasoline consumed | 9,297 | 9,270 |
| Percent change from previous week | 2.24 | -0.29 |
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report, August 2002, Available at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/info_glance/gasoline.html