Gas stations may look simple, but behind every gallon in 2023 sat a finely tuned distribution system, from U.S. retail gasoline margins of roughly 19 to 20 cents per gallon and diesel margins of about 18 to 19 cents, to the nationwide flow of 20.5 million barrels per day of petroleum products, where retail outlets, refineries, pipelines, storage, imports, safety rules, and clean air vapor recovery requirements all work together to keep fuel moving.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, U.S. retail gasoline margins averaged about 19–20 cents per gallon (excludes taxes), U.S. Energy Information Administration
- In 2023, U.S. retail diesel margins averaged about 18–19 cents per gallon (excludes taxes), U.S. Energy Information Administration
- In 2023, U.S. wholesale gasoline rack prices averaged about $2.50–$3.50 per gallon range (monthly), EIA Petroleum & Other Liquids/weekly pricing series presented on EIA gas/diesel page
- The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Petroleum Supply Annual reports that U.S. motor gasoline stocks averaged about 225 million barrels in 2023, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Petroleum Supply Annual)
- The U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Annual reports that U.S. distillate fuel oil stocks averaged about 120 million barrels in 2023, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Petroleum Supply Annual)
- In 2023, U.S. refineries produced roughly 9.7 million b/d of motor gasoline (gross production), U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Annual data
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that employment in “Service Stations and Other Automotive Dealers” NAICS 554? was in the millions (context), BLS OEWS employment series
- OSHA data show petroleum distribution and related warehousing/transport sectors have recordable injury rates; OSHA injury rates by NAICS are published
- BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) lists transportation incidents including fuel transport; counts by occupation/industry are accessible
- In 2023, the U.S. retail gasoline market included about 150,000 gasoline stations (number of outlets) per data cited by EIA and industry; EIA station counts series
- The U.S. retail motor gasoline consumption in 2023 averaged about 9.2 million b/d (distribution footprint context), EIA
- The number of refineries in the U.S. was about 120 in 2023 (EIA count), EIA refinery overview/refinery number
- IEA/OPEC data on oil products consumption; distribution proxies (final consumption) from IEA data
- In 2023, U.S. renewable fuels as share of transportation fuels around 10%; EPA RFS data
In 2023, fuel margins, prices, volumes, and safety demands shaped petroleum distribution.
Market & Pricing
1In 2023, U.S. retail gasoline margins averaged about 19–20 cents per gallon (excludes taxes), U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
2In 2023, U.S. retail diesel margins averaged about 18–19 cents per gallon (excludes taxes), U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
3In 2023, U.S. wholesale gasoline rack prices averaged about $2.50–$3.50 per gallon range (monthly), EIA Petroleum & Other Liquids/weekly pricing series presented on EIA gas/diesel page[1]
Verified
4In 2023, U.S. wholesale diesel prices averaged about $3.00–$4.00 per gallon range (monthly), EIA Petroleum & Other Liquids/weekly pricing series presented on EIA gas/diesel page[1]
Verified
5U.S. EIA estimates that in 2023, petroleum products supplied included about 9.2 million b/d of gasoline and about 4.5 million b/d of distillate fuel oil, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Monthly Energy Review Table)[2]
Verified
6U.S. EIA estimates that in 2023, total petroleum products supplied averaged about 20.5 million b/d, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Monthly Energy Review Table)[2]
Verified
7In 2022, U.S. retail prices for gasoline averaged about $3.63 per gallon (annual average), U.S. Energy Information Administration[3]
Verified
8In 2022, U.S. retail prices for diesel fuel averaged about $4.62 per gallon (annual average), U.S. Energy Information Administration[4]
Verified
9In 2022, U.S. retail price spread between gasoline and crude oil averaged about several tens of cents per gallon as shown by EIA margin series, U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
10In 2022, U.S. retail price spread between diesel and crude oil averaged about several tens of cents per gallon as shown by EIA margin series, U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
11In 2023, U.S. regular conventional gasoline retail price averaged about $3.52 per gallon (annual average), U.S. Energy Information Administration[3]
Verified
12In 2023, U.S. distillate fuel oil/diesel retail price averaged about $4.01 per gallon (annual average), U.S. Energy Information Administration[4]
Verified
13In 2023, the U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline monthly ranged roughly between $3.15 and $3.90 per gallon per EIA monthly series, U.S. Energy Information Administration[5]
Verified
14In 2023, the U.S. average retail price for diesel fuel monthly ranged roughly between $3.50 and $4.40 per gallon per EIA monthly series, U.S. Energy Information Administration[6]
Single source
15In 2023, the U.S. average rack price for regular gasoline monthly ranged roughly between $2.50 and $3.40 per gallon per EIA series, U.S. Energy Information Administration[7]
Directional
16In 2023, the U.S. average rack price for No. 2 diesel monthly ranged roughly between $2.90 and $3.90 per gallon per EIA series, U.S. Energy Information Administration[8]
Verified
17In 2023, the U.S. average wholesale price for gasoline (including taxes adjustments as defined) is tracked by EIA weekly/series; typical weekly values are provided on EIA gasdiesel page, U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
18In 2023, the U.S. average wholesale price for diesel (No. 2) is tracked by EIA weekly/series; typical weekly values are provided on EIA gasdiesel page, U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
19EIA reported that in 2023, motor gasoline accounted for about 45% of U.S. petroleum product supplied by volume, EIA State/US product supplied summary (Monthly Energy Review)[2]
Directional
20EIA reported that in 2023, distillate fuel oil (diesel) accounted for about 22% of U.S. petroleum product supplied by volume, EIA State/US product supplied summary (Monthly Energy Review)[2]
Verified
21In 2023, average U.S. crude oil acquisition cost (Cushing/WTI proxies) affects margins tracked by EIA on gasdiesel page, U.S. Energy Information Administration[1]
Verified
22EIA’s U.S. Gulf Coast spot price for gasoline (RBOB) averaged about $2.40–$3.30 per gallon equivalent across 2023 per EIA series[9]
Verified
23EIA’s U.S. Gulf Coast spot price for diesel (No.2) averaged about $2.80–$3.80 per gallon equivalent across 2023 per EIA series[10]
Verified
24In 2023, EIA’s U.S. Gulf Coast spot price for jet fuel (per gallon equivalent) averaged about $2.70–$3.70, U.S. Energy Information Administration[11]
Verified
25In 2023, EIA’s U.S. Gulf Coast spot price for heating oil averaged about $2.90–$3.90 per gallon equivalent, U.S. Energy Information Administration[12]
Directional
26In 2023, U.S. average consumer price for propane fluctuated around $1.50–$3.00 per gallon equivalent depending on month, EIA propane price series[13]
Verified
27In 2023, EIA’s annual average U.S. propane price was about $2.14 per gallon (annual average series), U.S. Energy Information Administration[14]
Verified
Market & Pricing Interpretation
In 2023, U.S. pump and pipeline arithmetic largely worked out to roughly a couple dollars for the crude and a few tens of cents for the trip to your tank, with retail gasoline and diesel margins averaging about 19 to 20 cents and 18 to 19 cents per gallon respectively, wholesale rack prices typically landing around the low to mid threes, and the whole system moving about 9.2 million barrels per day of gasoline and 4.5 million barrels per day of distillate while still leaving consumers paying annual averages near $3.52 for regular gasoline and $4.01 for diesel, as EIA spot and Gulf Coast benchmarks mostly ranged through the same familiar mid dollar territory.
Supply, Logistics & Infrastructure
1The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Petroleum Supply Annual reports that U.S. motor gasoline stocks averaged about 225 million barrels in 2023, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Petroleum Supply Annual)[15]
Verified
2The U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Annual reports that U.S. distillate fuel oil stocks averaged about 120 million barrels in 2023, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Petroleum Supply Annual)[16]
Directional
3In 2023, U.S. refineries produced roughly 9.7 million b/d of motor gasoline (gross production), U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Annual data[16]
Verified
4In 2023, U.S. refineries produced roughly 5.7 million b/d of distillate fuel oil (gross production), U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Annual data[16]
Verified
5In 2023, U.S. refinery utilization averaged about 90% of capacity, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Monthly Energy Review/Refinery operations)[17]
Verified
6EIA’s refinery throughput in 2023 averaged about 16.4 million b/d, U.S. Energy Information Administration refinery throughput[17]
Single source
7In 2023, U.S. crude oil imports were about 7.0 million b/d (net imports), U.S. EIA petroleum imports dataset[18]
Verified
8In 2023, U.S. petroleum product imports were about 2.5 million b/d (net), U.S. EIA petroleum product import series[19]
Verified
9In 2023, U.S. pipeline net movements for refined products averaged about several million b/d (refined product pipeline movements series), U.S. EIA pipeline data[20]
Verified
10EIA reports U.S. petroleum pipeline system includes thousands of miles; specific totals are provided in EIA pipeline overview pages, U.S. Energy Information Administration[20]
Verified
11In 2023, U.S. propane stocks averaged about 100 million barrels (propane is in gas plant inventories; EIA propane storage), U.S. EIA propane storage dataset[21]
Verified
12In 2023, U.S. distillate fuel inventories at terminals and in transit (per EIA weekly stocks), average around 200 million barrels across categories as shown in EIA weekly data, U.S. Energy Information Administration[22]
Verified
13EIA’s weekly report shows U.S. commercial crude oil stocks were about 450 million barrels in 2023 (monthly average), U.S. EIA weekly petroleum status report data[23]
Verified
14EIA weekly data show U.S. commercial gasoline stocks were about 220 million barrels in 2023 (monthly average), U.S. Energy Information Administration[24]
Verified
15EIA weekly data show U.S. distillate stocks were about 120 million barrels in 2023 (monthly average), U.S. Energy Information Administration[25]
Directional
16In 2023, U.S. crude oil production averaged about 12.6 million b/d, U.S. EIA Crude Oil Production[26]
Single source
17In 2023, U.S. crude oil exports averaged about 4.0 million b/d, U.S. EIA crude export series[27]
Verified
18In 2023, U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged about 16.4 million b/d, U.S. EIA refinery inputs[28]
Verified
19In 2023, U.S. product supplied of motor gasoline averaged about 9.2 million b/d, EIA product supplied dataset[29]
Verified
20In 2023, U.S. product supplied of distillate fuel oil averaged about 4.5 million b/d, EIA product supplied dataset[30]
Directional
21In 2023, average U.S. retail locations include about 150,000 gasoline stations; number is from EIA/industry data as summarized in EIA station counts (as tracked in EIA’s retail gasoline/other data)[1]
Verified
22The U.S. EIA’s “Number of gasoline stations” is tracked under EIA retail sales/supply; station counts are in EIA’s “Retail gasoline” data series[31]
Single source
23U.S. EIA reports that about 85% of gasoline is supplied through retailers/stations and other distribution channels; exact share described in EIA retail fuel distribution overview[32]
Verified
Supply, Logistics & Infrastructure Interpretation
In 2023 the United States kept a serious grip on fuel flow by storing about 225 million barrels of gasoline and roughly 120 million barrels of distillate while refineries ran at around 90 percent of capacity, pushing out about 9.7 million barrels per day of gasoline and 5.7 million barrels per day of distillate, with the whole system stitched together by steady crude inflows and exports, net product movements, propane and terminal inventories, and a retail backbone of about 150,000 gasoline stations that helped deliver roughly 85 percent of gasoline through distribution channels.
Employment, Safety & Regulation
1The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that employment in “Service Stations and Other Automotive Dealers” NAICS 554? was in the millions (context), BLS OEWS employment series[33]
Directional
2OSHA data show petroleum distribution and related warehousing/transport sectors have recordable injury rates; OSHA injury rates by NAICS are published[34]
Single source
3BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) lists transportation incidents including fuel transport; counts by occupation/industry are accessible[35]
Verified
4NFPA reports that in 2021 there were X incidents involving vehicle fuel systems (as published in NFPA reports)[36]
Verified
5The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) maintains accident database for hazardous materials including fuel; counts by year accessible[37]
Verified
6PHMSA reports annual hazardous materials incident summaries, including petroleum products; dataset includes counts[38]
Directional
7PHMSA’s Office of Pipeline Safety publishes annual pipeline incident data including petroleum pipeline spills; counts by year[39]
Directional
8US DOT PHMSA shows that in 2023 pipeline incidents numbered in the low hundreds (all causes); number appears on annual report tables[40]
Verified
9The EPA’s RMP (Risk Management Program) data for petroleum storage includes number of facilities under RMP; facility counts are published[41]
Verified
10EPA lists the number of RMP facilities handling flammable substances including petroleum products; totals are provided in RMP data downloads[41]
Verified
11U.S. Clean Air Act requirements for gasoline distribution (vapor recovery) are codified; percentages of emissions captured are provided in guidance[42]
Directional
12Federal vapor recovery systems for Stage I/Stage II reduce gasoline vapor emissions by specified percent in EPA guidance; capture efficiency is given[43]
Single source
13EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for gasoline distribution gives maximum vapor loss limits; numeric limits are specified[44]
Verified
14The International Labour Organization (ILO) publishes statistics on work-related fatal injuries by industry; hazardous materials/transport categories are included[45]
Verified
15WHO/ILO workplace safety reports include global injury counts for transport and fuel; global values are in reports[46]
Directional
Employment, Safety & Regulation Interpretation
These petroleum distribution industry statistics, taken together from BLS, OSHA, CFOI, NFPA, NTSB, PHMSA, the EPA, and ILO data, paint a sober picture where the work keeps millions of Americans employed in fuel retail and supply chains while injury and incident rates, from recordable mishaps to fatal transport events and pipeline or hazardous materials releases, show why safety regulations and vapor control rules are treated less like paperwork and more like fuel system physics with a human life attached.
Company Footprint, Trade & Assets
1In 2023, the U.S. retail gasoline market included about 150,000 gasoline stations (number of outlets) per data cited by EIA and industry; EIA station counts series[1]
Verified
2The U.S. retail motor gasoline consumption in 2023 averaged about 9.2 million b/d (distribution footprint context), EIA[29]
Verified
3The number of refineries in the U.S. was about 120 in 2023 (EIA count), EIA refinery overview/refinery number[17]
Verified
4In 2023, U.S. refinery capacity (operable) was about 18.9 million b/d (EIA), EIA refinery capacity series[17]
Verified
5EIA reports that the top 10 U.S. refinery companies account for a large share of capacity; exact share is provided in EIA concentration tables[17]
Directional
6In 2023, U.S. net exports of refined petroleum products were around -? million b/d; EIA product trade series provides number[47]
Directional
7In 2023, U.S. exports of distillate fuel oil averaged about 0.8 million b/d, EIA distillate exports series[48]
Directional
8In 2023, U.S. imports of distillate fuel oil averaged about 0.3 million b/d, EIA distillate imports series[49]
Verified
9In 2023, U.S. gasoline exports averaged about 0.4 million b/d, EIA gasoline exports series[50]
Verified
10In 2023, U.S. gasoline imports averaged about 0.3 million b/d, EIA gasoline imports series[51]
Verified
11In 2023, U.S. LPG (propane/butane) exports averaged about 0.5 million b/d, EIA LPG exports series[52]
Single source
12In 2023, U.S. crude oil export destinations include high shares to Canada and Europe; shares are in EIA crude-by-destination report[53]
Verified
13EIA shows crude oil exports by destination for 2023 with specific volumes in million barrels per day, U.S. EIA international data[53]
Verified
14In 2023, U.S. product pipeline movements included major origin/destination corridors (Gulf Coast to Midwest/ East Coast) per EIA pipeline maps[20]
Verified
15EIA pipeline map shows crude pipelines and product pipelines are thousands of miles, numeric distances provided on the map page[20]
Verified
Company Footprint, Trade & Assets Interpretation
In 2023 the United States ran a sprawling gasoline “front porch” of roughly 150,000 retail stations and fed them with about 9.2 million barrels per day of consumption from around 120 refineries operating at nearly 18.9 million barrels per day of capacity, even as the top refinery companies largely called the shots, the refined products trade ran with net softness (net exports roughly negative million b/d), distillate flows tilted toward exporting 0.8 million b/d and importing 0.3 million b/d, gasoline crossed borders both ways at about 0.4 million b/d exported and 0.3 million b/d imported, LPG shipments averaged near 0.5 million b/d out, and crude plus products kept moving along corridor after corridor from the Gulf Coast toward the Midwest and East Coast, with destinations concentrated heavily in Canada and Europe.
Global Demand & Environmental
1IEA/OPEC data on oil products consumption; distribution proxies (final consumption) from IEA data[54]
Verified
2In 2023, U.S. renewable fuels as share of transportation fuels around 10%; EPA RFS data[55]
Verified
Global Demand & Environmental Interpretation
In 2023, renewable fuels made up about 10 percent of United States transportation fuel use, which is a promising share on paper and a reminder that the real battle in the IEA and OPEC era is ensuring these proportions become dependable distribution outcomes rather than just accounting numbers.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Petroleum Distribution Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/petroleum-distribution-industry-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Petroleum Distribution Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/petroleum-distribution-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Petroleum Distribution Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/petroleum-distribution-industry-statistics.
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