U.S. Crude By Rail Volume & Carloads
| This table presents quarterly and
annual U.S. volumes of crude oil transported by rail. Crude by
rail volumes have increased significantly since 2009 due to a sharp rise in U.S. crude oil
production associated with "fracking" and high oil prices. Much of
the increase has occurred in the Bakken/Williston region in North
Dakota. Other significant shale deposits generating crude by rail
volume include Marcellus (Pennsylvania & Ohio), Eagle Ford (Texas),
Barnett (Texas), Permian (Texas & New Mexico), and Niobrara (Wyoming
& Colorado). This rapid growth coupled with high profile
accidents such as Lac-Mégantic have resulted in considerable public
debate and regulatory actions to further improve rail safety and the
DOT-111 tank car design.
Crude by rail volumes have moderated in recent quarters due to
reduced oil prices. A reduction in oil prices makes U.S. drilling
less competitive and results in reduced output.
The differential between U.S. carloads originated and carloads
terminated began to expand in 2013 due to increasing imports from
the oil sands of Western Canada.
A single 30,000 gallon tank car holds approximately 680 barrels of oils,
thus barrel and carload statistics are highly correlated. Unit
trains can consist of up to 120 railcars and carry more 80,000
barrels of oil.
Data from Association of American Railroads (AAR) and U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA), with calculations and analysis by
RailServe.com.
See also:
State Railroad Statistics,
Traffic Volume Statistics,
Traffic Mix Statistics, and
Financial Statistics
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Quarterly U.S. Crude By Rail Volumes
 |
| |
Year |
Quarter |
Carloads Originated |
Carloads Terminated |
Barrels Transported |
Barrels Year-Over-Year |
|
|
2005 |
|
6,032 |
6,107 |
4,152,000 (est.) |
|
|
|
2006 |
|
4,729 |
4,674 |
3,215,000 (est.) |
( 23% ) |
|
|
2007 |
|
5,912 |
5,897 |
4,035,000 (est.) |
26% |
|
|
2008 |
|
9,500 |
9,344 |
6,460,000 (est.) |
60% |
|
|
2009 |
|
10,840 |
10,966 |
7,456,000 (est.) |
15% |
|
|
|
First |
2,860 |
2,976 |
2,023,000 (est.) |
|
|
|
|
Second |
2,498 |
2,512 |
1,709,000 (est.) |
|
|
|
|
Third |
2,832 |
2,795 |
1,923,000 (est.) |
|
|
|
|
Fourth |
2,650 |
2,683 |
1,801,000 (est.) |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
29,605 |
29,673 |
23,786,000 |
219% |
|
|
|
First |
3,395 |
3,385 |
2,738,000 |
35% |
|
|
|
Second |
6,784 |
6,723 |
4,836,000 |
183% |
|
|
|
Third |
8,583 |
8,459 |
8,180,000 |
325% |
|
|
|
Fourth |
10,843 |
11,106 |
8,032,000 |
346% |
|
|
2011 |
|
65,751 |
67,102 |
42,372,000 |
78% |
|
|
|
First |
11,324 |
11,973 |
7,490,000 |
174% |
|
|
|
Second |
11,390 |
11,631 |
8,168,000 |
69% |
|
|
|
Third |
16,789 |
16,777 |
9,667,000 |
18% |
|
|
|
Fourth |
26,247 |
26,721 |
17,047,000 |
112% |
|
|
2012 |
|
233,700 |
236,556 |
152,047,000 |
259% |
|
|
|
First |
36,544 |
36,379 |
22,584,000 |
202% |
|
|
|
Second |
51,474 |
53,163 |
33,195,000 |
306% |
|
|
|
Third |
64,658 |
65,810 |
45,111,000 |
367% |
|
|
|
Fourth |
81,024 |
81,204 |
51,157,000 |
200% |
|
|
2013 |
|
407,642 |
434,042 |
296,065,000 |
95% |
|
|
|
First |
97,135 |
99,173 |
66,063,000 |
193% |
|
|
|
Second |
108,605 |
117,509 |
79,790,000 |
140% |
|
|
|
Third |
93,312 |
103,219 |
67,589,000 |
50% |
|
|
|
Fourth |
108,590 |
114,141 |
82,623,000 |
62% |
|
|
2014 |
|
493,126 |
541,293 |
382,033,000 |
29% |
|
|
|
First |
110,164 |
123,543 |
79,897,000 |
21% |
|
|
|
Second |
119,634 |
134,998 |
98,653,000 |
24% |
|
|
|
Third |
132,257 |
139,476 |
99,876,000 |
48% |
|
|
|
Fourth |
131,071 |
143,276 |
103,607,000 |
25% |
|
|
2015 |
|
411,407 |
480,358 |
318,779,000 |
( 17% ) |
|
|
|
First |
113,089 |
134,867 |
82,498,000 |
3% |
|
|
|
Second |
111,068 |
121,093 |
84,330,000 |
(
15% ) |
|
|
|
Third |
101,167 |
117,129 |
81,681,000 |
(
18% ) |
|
|
|
Fourth |
86,083 |
107,269 |
70,270,000 |
(
32% ) |
|
|
2016 |
|
211,986 |
271,155 |
175,701,000 |
( 45% ) |
|
|
|
First |
63,261 |
84,543 |
52,259,000 |
( 37% ) |
|
|
|
Second |
56,454 |
67,042 |
42,849,000 |
( 49% ) |
|
|
|
Third |
48,978 |
59,217 |
38,651,000 |
( 53% ) |
|
|
|
Fourth |
43,293 |
60,353 |
41,942,000 |
( 40% ) |
|
|
2017 |
|
128,967 |
208,036 |
139,805,000 |
(
20% ) |
|
|
|
First |
40,235 |
59,643 |
40,855,000 |
(
22% ) |
|
|
|
Second |
32,591 |
52,846 |
35,684,000 |
(
17% ) |
|
|
|
Third |
24,425 |
41,679 |
25,548,000 |
( 34% ) |
|
|
|
Fourth |
31,716 |
53,868 |
37,718,000 |
(
10% ) |
|
|
2018 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First |
37,255 |
59,944 |
39,939,000 |
(
2% ) |
|
|
|
