According to recently-released figures from the Energy Information Administration, total U.S. petroleum product exports continued to rise in 2015, jumping by 467,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 4.3 million bpd.
The EIA numbers show that distillate fuels, motor gasoline and propane were the key drivers of these higher export numbers, and added that the major recipients of these exports continued to be Mexico and other Central American and South American countries.
The EIA figures show that distillate fuel oils accounted for the largest chunk of U.S. petroleum product exports, averaging 1.19 million bpd in 2015 and exported to 88 countries throughout the year. In second place was motor gasoline, which averaged 618,000 bpd and was exported to 120 different countries. At 615,000 bpd, propane exports nearly matched gasoline.
Much of this export growth can be attributed to American refineries becoming more competitive as domestic oil and natural gas production soared, as well as rising global demand for fuel oils.