Data and Harmonization to Improve the Circularity of Plastics

Dr. Ian Mead

January 24, 2023 | Virtual

EIA’s data on feedstocks
Role in U.S. statistical system

• EIA arose in response to the 1970s Energy Crisis

– Established as an independent agency by Department of Energy Organization Act (1977)

– Required by Congress to expand its collections and reports (1992, 2005, 2007, 2021) 

• Three part mission

– Educate the public on energy markets

– Promote efficient markets

– Support policy makers (yet remain policy neutral)

• Legislation

– Provides mandatory collection authority

– Requires analytical reports and outlooks

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Challenges and responses

• Challenges

– EIA initially established to primarily focus on supply and consumption

– Energy markets are evolving more quickly than in the past

– Energy markets becoming more important part of U.S. economy

• Responses

– Focus more on providing information on investment and infrastructure development

– Investigate ways to get more timely information on emerging technologies

– Further integrate EIA’s data with national economic accounts

– Provide clearer recognition of what we don’t really know

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Data harmonization in Monthly Energy Review (MER)

• Closest energy-related analog to a national accounting system

• Data incorporated from EIA’s collections

– Over 30 monthly and weekly surveys

– Three quadrennial benchmark energy consumption surveys

• Data incorporated from other sources

– Survey data from at least 8 other statistical organizations

– Administrative data from at least 3 other government entities

– Private sector data collected for market analysis

• Guide: UN International Recommendations for Energy Statistics

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Main data sources for feedstock statistics

• Benchmark data

– EIA’s Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS)

• Annual data for ratio-based breakouts for monthly statistics

– EIA’s Petroleum Supply Annual

– EIA’s Annual Refinery Report

– Petroleum Education & Research Council

• Methodology and source data in detailed footnotes

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MER Table 1.11a: Non-Combustion Use of Fossil Fuels

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Rapid development of 

shale resources

Accelerated development 

of HGL markets

Note: HGLs include ethane, propane, normal butane, isobutane, natural gasoline, and refinery olefins (ethylene, propylene, butylene, and isobutylene).
U.S. Fossil Fuel Consumption by Source and Sector, 2021

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Missing: mapping 

of intermediate 

inputs into final 

industries (MER)

MER Table 1.11a
National input-output (I-O) tables pull it all together

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• Annual and benchmark I-O 

tables produced by Bureau of 

Economic Analysis

• Show commodities used by 

industries and final users

• Form basis for economic 

impact studies and dynamic 

I-O models

• Challenge: Only plastic and 

petrochemical industry detail 

and only every 5 years
MECS: Most nonfuel consumption in the chemical sector

• Petro

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Note: The plastic materials and resins industry (NAICS 325211), which includes plastic resins and coatings, is by far more energy intensive than the plastics and rubber 

(NAICS 326---) sector, which includes plastic bags, bottles, packing film and laminated plastics. In 2014, use of feed stocks in NAICS 325211 were 75 trillion barrels; in 

NAICS 326---, less that 500,000 barrels.
MECS: South accounts for 80% of nonfuel consumption

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MECS: Feedstock use in the plastics industry (table 2.1)

• Disclosure concerns can limit publication of more detailed information

– MECS 2018: Only data on feedstocks from natural gas and “other” category

– MECS 2014: Data for total feedstocks and HGLs, natural gas, and other categories

• Limitations are influenced by multiple factors

– Industry concentrations

– Sample size and selection

– Complementary disclosure considerations

• Possibilities to fill in gaps

– Larger sample or supplemental MECS survey

– Identify or support the development of additional data sources

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Wrap up

• An I-O framework provides many advantages

– Provides comprehensive framework to integrate interrelated data

– Structure designed to support rich set of economic analyses

• EIA has a wealth of data to consider for the effort but there are gaps

• EIA is interested in alternative data to improve our suite of products

• EIA assessing the possibility of a supplemental MECS survey in the future 

and soliciting feedback

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