U.S. Refineries Make Dramatic Shift Away From Gasoline

U.S. refineries are producing less gasoline from each barrel of crude oil processed, shifting their focus to diesel and jet fuel as the profitability of those products rises, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration EIA. Gasoline yields fell below 45% in the first eight months of 2026, the lowest level since the previous five-year period, published on Thursday.

This shift is driven by the high margins on diesel and jet fuel, which have become more profitable due to global fuel shortages and refinery margins. Distillate fuel oil, including diesel and heating oil, exceeded its five-year average in all months through August, while jet fuel production reached a record 12% share of U.S. refinery output in March and stayed at or above that level through August.

The disruptions in the global refining market, such as the Iran war affecting Middle Eastern refining operations and Russian refineries being attacked in Ukraine, have contributed to the strained market and reduced crude runs by 4.8 million barrels per day in the second quarter. U.S. refineries compensated for the lost production by increasing processing by 500,000 barrels per day in the second and third quarters.

Diesel prices hit their highest nominal levels on record in September, prompting refineries to prioritize middle distillates over gasoline production. This change in focus reflects a domestic refining system increasingly focused on supplying a global market lacking diesel and jet fuel.