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U.S. refinery yields shifted away from gasoline toward distillate fuel oil and jet fuel during the first eight months of 2026, according to EIA data. The agency attributes the change to stronger margins for middle distillates amid constrained global supplies; gasoline yields averaged below 45% and fell beneath the five-year low every month.
U.S. refineries produced a smaller share of gasoline and increased the share of distillate fuel oil and jet fuel during the first eight months of 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a November 5 analysis. The shift reflects higher margins for middle distillates amid constrained global supplies, and comes as gasoline yields have stayed below their five-year lows despite high gasoline prices.
EIA’s latest Petroleum Supply Monthly, which contains data through August, shows that gasoline accounted for an average of less than 45% of refinery output from January through August 2026. The agency said yields were below the five-year low in every month of that period. A refinery yield measures the share of products obtained from the crude oil a refinery processes; it is not the same as the amount of fuel produced in absolute terms.
By comparison, distillate fuel oil yields—which include fuel often sold as diesel—were generally higher than in 2025 and above the five-year average in every month, EIA reported. Jet fuel yields were also elevated. The U.S. refinery fleet’s average jet fuel yield first topped 12% in March 2026 and remained at or above that level through August, the latest month in the data.
EIA linked the production choices to refinery economics. Margins for distillate fuel and jet fuel were significantly higher than those for gasoline for much of the year, the agency said, citing constrained global supplies. Refiners can adjust the mix of products they obtain from crude, although the yields also reflect refinery configurations and operating conditions.
How the Shift Affects Fuel Supply
The production mix matters because gasoline, diesel and jet fuel serve different markets. Lower gasoline yields mean refiners are directing a smaller share of each barrel of crude toward motor gasoline, while allocating more toward fuels used in trucking, other transport and aviation. The EIA figures describe the share of refinery output, not a direct measure of whether consumers face a shortage or how much fuel is available nationally.
For fuel markets, the shift shows how relative margins and supply constraints can influence what refineries produce, even when gasoline prices are high. The figures do not establish that the yield changes caused gasoline prices to rise, or quantify the effect on prices. They do show that refiners had an economic incentive to prioritize distillates and jet fuel when those products offered stronger returns.
The trend also matters to buyers beyond motorists. Diesel is widely used in freight and other commercial activity, while jet fuel serves airlines. EIA’s data point to stronger refinery emphasis on both fuels, but do not by themselves show how much additional product reached consumers or whether supply constraints eased.
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Reading Refinery Yield Trends
The U.S. refining fleet typically has a strong gasoline yield, generally around 45% to 50%. EIA says gasoline, distillate fuel oil and kerosene-type jet fuel together usually account for about 85% to 90% of petroleum products made by U.S. refineries. The shares vary over time and among facilities.
Distillate fuel oil and jet fuel are often grouped as middle distillates because they are produced at different points in the refining process than lighter products such as gasoline. EIA’s comparison uses five-year benchmarks: gasoline yields were below the 2021–2025 low throughout January–August 2026, while distillate yields were above their five-year average in every month. Jet fuel yields had already reached five-year highs for much of 2025, the agency said, before remaining high in 2026.
The report is an assessment of refinery yields and margins, not a forecast of future production. Its latest data cover August 2026, so they do not establish whether the same mix continued in September or later months.
““From January through August 2026, refinery yields of gasoline have averaged less than 45% and have been well below the five-year low in every month.””
— U.S. Energy Information Administration
What August Data Cannot Show
The report does not include refinery-yield data after August 2026, so it is not yet clear whether the production shift continued through the autumn. EIA also does not quantify in this analysis how many barrels were redirected from gasoline to distillate or jet fuel, or how much the change affected retail prices or product inventories.
The agency attributes the pattern to higher distillate and jet fuel margins and constrained global supplies, but the report does not provide a forward forecast of those margins or supply conditions. It also does not say that every refinery changed its output in the same way; the figures describe the U.S. refining fleet as a whole.
Next Monthly Refinery Data
The next key indicator will be new Petroleum Supply Monthly data, which can show whether gasoline yields remain below historical levels and whether distillate and jet fuel yields stay elevated. Updated data will also provide a fuller view of refinery output after August.
Readers should distinguish changes in yield shares from changes in total production and market supply. Future reports on refinery margins, inventories and global fuel availability will help indicate whether the economic incentives behind the 2026 shift persist.
Key Questions
What does it mean that refineries shifted production away from gasoline?
It means gasoline made up a smaller share of refinery output, while distillate fuel oil and jet fuel accounted for larger shares. EIA measures this as yield: the share of products obtained from crude oil processed.
How low were gasoline refinery yields in 2026?
From January through August 2026, gasoline yields averaged less than 45% and were below the five-year low in every month, according to EIA.
Why did refiners favor diesel and jet fuel?
EIA said distillate fuel and jet fuel margins were significantly higher for much of 2026, amid constrained global supplies. Those conditions gave refiners an incentive to direct more output toward those products.
Does lower gasoline yield mean gasoline prices will rise?
Not necessarily. The EIA report documents a change in refinery yield shares but does not establish that the change caused higher gasoline prices or predict future prices.
How long did the reported trend last?
The report’s data cover January through August 2026. It does not establish whether the same production mix continued after August.
Source: eia.gov
