Gross exports of U.S. petroleum products averaged 3.8 MMbbl/d in 2014, up 10% from 2013 levels and a new record high, recent EIA data show.

Increased exports of motor gasoline and hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs)—butane and propane in particular—contributed to the trend, while distillate exports declined, the EIA observed in its latest monthly petroleum supply report.

“A combination of record-high U.S. refinery runs, which averaged 16.1 MMbbl/d in 2014, and increased global demand for petroleum products allowed U.S. petroleum-product exports to increase for the 13th consecutive year,” the EIA stated.

Most refined-product exports went to Central America and South America, which grew year-over-year by 172,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) (15%), followed by exports to Canada and Mexico, which rose 80,000 bbl/d (8%), according to the agency.

An early March update noted: “U.S. petroleum product exports increased in every region except the Middle East, which declined from 55,000 bbl/d in 2013 to 47,000 bbl/d in 2014. However, in 2014, there was more change—both in quantity exported and destination—for specific products: motor gasoline, propane, butane and distillate.”

Expanded U.S. production and capacity to export HGLs, particularly on the U.S. Gulf Coast, allowed exports of propane and butane to increase by 121,000 bbl/d (40%) and 44,000 bbl/d (149%), respectively, over 2013, EIA data showed.

Exports of propane to Asia—China and Japan in particular, where the fuel is used in cooking, heating, transportation and as a petrochemical feedstock—nearly doubled in 2014 from 2013, surging 40,000 bbl/d (95%).

Propane exports to Central America and South America—historically the principal destination for U.S. propane—increased 31,000 bbl/d (21%) from 2013, according to the EIA. Butane exports, which share some uses with propane but is more suitable for use in warmer climates, grew to 74,000 bbl/d, and butane exports to Africa totaled 20,000 bbl/d, an increase of 17,200 bbl/d (628%) from a year earlier, the report also noted.

In a late-February announcement, EIA said U.S. LPG exports increased 61% in 2014 to 194.9 MMbbl—up from 73.8 MMbbl a year earlier.

LPG exports stood at 646,000 bbl/d in December as shipped volumes rebounded from the prior month’s level of 522,000 bbl/d, but still did not reach the record high 680,000 bbl/d established in October 2014, data showed.

Soaring U.S. propane production has depressed the commodity’s domestic price, widening the spread relative to international markets and prompting leading downstream and midstream operators to develop export facilities to meet growing demand for seaborne exports.

In the first half of 2014, LPG exports jumped 52% from the comparable period in 2013 to 68.8 MMbbl, according to the EIA.

For full-year 2014, LPG exports from the U.S. averaged 533,000 b/d, the agency also observed.

Total U.S. NGL exports rose 51% in 2014 to 258 MMbbl, up 87 million from the prior-year level. NGL exports, which include the shipments of natural gasoline and ethane, averaged 706,000 bbl/d for the year. December volumes rose by 117,000 bbl/d to top 819,000 bbl/d.

December exports were supported by large gains in ethane and propane shipments, EIA data showed. U.S. propane exports grew by 98,000 bbl/d to reach 522,000 bbl/d in December, while ethane exports stood at 70,000 bbl/d, up 21,000 bbl/d month-on-month. U.S. butane exports gained 4,000 bbl/d to 53,000 bbl/d while natural gasoline exports dropped 7,000 bbl/d to 173,000 bbl/d.

North America continued to be the top destination for U.S. LPG exports. Mexico absorbed 2.9 MMbbl, and Canada imported 2.6 MMbbl, for a total of 5.5 MMbbl.

Asia was the second largest consumer of U.S. LPG in 2014, despite a steep decline in South Korean imports. South Korean imports plunged from 1.2 MMbbl took its imports to near zero, while Japan and China collectively imported 3.38 MMbbl.

European imports were up nearly 47% as France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom brought in 2.9 MMbbl.

Caribbean imports stood at 2 MMbbl, and South American imports into Brazil and Ecuador totaled 1.4 MMbbl.

Also noteworthy, the EIA data revealed a massive 79% boost to exports into Panama, which stood at 3.1 MMbbl. February’s export level into the region totaled 1.73 MMbbl. While those barrels reportedly entered the country of Panama, most shipments continued on to countries in Asia and the west coast of South America, according to the agency.

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