- Category 2 Hurricane Isaias nears landfall, leading to production shut-ins
As of 4:00 a.m. central time on October 9, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects Hurricane Isaias to make landfall on the Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, creating the potential for significant disruptions to energy infrastructure. Hurricane Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season and will be the largest storm system to make landfall in the region since Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
- Refineries have shifted production away from gasoline to middle distillates
Particularly high refinery margins for distillate fuel oil and jet fuel have contributed to shifts in the refinery yields of major products in 2026. Data from our latest Petroleum Supply Monthly—which includes data through August 2026—indicate refinery yields of gasoline have decreased significantly this year to support increased production of distillate fuel oil and jet fuel, sometimes referred to as middle distillates due to their relative cut points in the oil refining process.
- Global refinery inputs fell sharply in the second quarter of 2026 before modest recovery
Global crude oil refinery inputs fell by 4.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in the second quarter of 2026 (2Q26), or 6%, following the start of conflict in late February in the Middle East, according to data from Kpler. Throughput then increased by 1.8 million b/d in the third quarter, primarily as refiners in the region adjusted to new trade flows.
- The share of solar generation with co-located battery storage is increasing
Utility-scale solar developers are increasingly co-locating battery storage with new solar photovoltaic capacity. As of September 2026, over 16% of new utility-scale solar capacity added this year is co-located with operable battery storage, compared with 2% in 2017, according to data reported to EIA by operators.
- LNG imports make up increasing share of Colombia's natural gas supply
Colombia is importing more liquefied natural gas (LNG) as domestic production continues to fall. A potential drought this fall and winter could limit the availability of hydroelectric generation and boost the country's demand for natural gas power generation. Colombia's government has declared a national disaster in anticipation of a drought resulting from an expected strong El Niño.
- U.S. refineries have been running at very high rates in 2026
The U.S. refinery fleet has run at higher-than-normal rates this year, with refinery utilization averaging more than 95% of capacity between May and September, the highest for those months since 1998. Tight global product supplies this year have boosted margins for petroleum products, particularly for diesel, incentivizing the increased run rates.
- Hybrid sales rise while battery electric sales remain lower after tax credit expiration
In the third quarter of 2026 (3Q26), 23% of new light-duty vehicles sold in the United States were hybrid electric, battery electric, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, down slightly from 24% in 3Q25. Between 3Q25 and 3Q26, hybrid electric vehicles continued to gain market share, reaching 16% of light-duty vehicle sales. Growth of hybrid electric vehicle sales has slowed this quarter as the average transaction price for a new vehicle passed $50,000-the first time this price has been reached so far this year, according to Kelley Blue Book.