Otmane El Rhazi : Crude by rail provides the West Coast with supply as regional crude oil production falls

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.

While total U.S. crude oil production increased nearly 3.2 million barrels per day (b/d) from 2010 to 2014, production in PADD 5 decreased by 0.1 million b/d, continuing a long-term decline. With no major crude oil pipelines connecting the West Coast to other parts of the country, West Coast refineries had adjusted to the declining in-region production by increasing imports of foreign crude oil. Shipments of domestic crude oil by rail to the West Coast have also increased, from 23,000 b/d in 2012 to 157,000 b/d in 2014.