Growth in exports of diesel, gasoline, and LPG drove the overall increase. Exports of diesel both increased and shifted destinations, with more headed to Europe and less headed to South America, which has historically been the largest destination for US distillate exports.
According to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Weekly Petroleum Status Report, total petroleum product exports in January 2026 averaged 7.0 million bpd, about 540 000 bpd, or 8%, higher than 2025. Clean petroleum products include most finished products, like gasoline, diesel, LPG, and jet fuel, but not crude oil or certain heavier petroleum products, like residual fuel oil. The terms clean and dirty distinguish between products that must be carried on different classes of tankers.
Diesel made up the largest change, increasing by over 210 000 bpd, or 19%, compared with January 2025, reflecting increased demand from Europe. Compared with January 2025, US diesel exports to Europe more than doubled, from 167 000 bpd to 396 000 bpd in January 2026.
Increased diesel demand in Europe may be the result of increased need for power and heating this winter and constraints on the availability of diesel supplies from other sources since last autumn. Sanctions targeting Russia’s oil companies and refiners of crude oil from Russia altered the flow of crude oil shipments to refiners and contributed to tightness in global refined product markets that led to sharp increases in diesel refining margins in November 2025. Although overall conditions in the diesel market have eased since then, the structural challenges facing the European diesel market provide additional support for higher exports from the US.
As diesel exports to Europe increased, exports to South America decreased, keeping US diesel exports to that region slightly below the 2025 high set in June. South America typically makes up the largest portion of US diesel exports, making up 37% in 2025, compared with 22% for Europe. However, In January, increased demand in Europe pushed US diesel exports to Europe higher than those to South America.
After diesel, the second-largest change in total clean product exports compared with January 2025 was from LPG, which also increased by just over 210 000 bpd, or 7%. Increasing exports of LPG reflect shipments of propane and butane out of the US Gulf Coast, as U.S. inventories have trended above the five-year high this winter.
US exports of gasoline and jet fuel also increased in January 2026, likely reflecting lower US prices as Europe’s demand for diesel supported strong US refinery runs and production of other fuels. US exports of gasoline increased by about 55 000 bpd, or 7%, compared with 2025, and US exports of jet fuel increased by over 60 000 bpd, or 78%.