The United States has solidified its position as a net exporter of jet fuel in recent months. US jet exports totaled 118,000 barrels per day in the first half of 2012, according to the Energy Information Agency (EIA), while imports halved to just 33,000 b/d over the same period. Lower US product demand in general and high refinery utilization rates keep the US market well supplied with middle distillates. US jet demand fell to 1.393 million b/d in the first half of 2012 — 25,000 b/d less than during the same period of 2011, but 200,000 b/d lower than during the first half of 2008 before the peak of the financial crisis. Lower domestic demand and rising output have cut imports since. Jet imports have fallen from their recent peak of 217,000 b/d in 2007 to 69,000 b/d in 2011. They halved again to just 33,000 b/d in the first half of 2012. The bulk of imports go to the US West Coast, to LAXfuel at Los Angeles International Airport, and come from South Korea. Exports meanwhile are booming: first-half 2012 data show traffic up 20% on 2011 to 118,000 b/d.
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