In-brief analysis
March 9, 2026
In 2025, exports of major petroleum-based transportation fuels, including distillate fuel oil, motor gasoline, and jet fuel, averaged 2.4 million barrels per day (b/d), about the same as the previous year. Distillate fuel oil, commonly sold as diesel, accounts for more than half of these exports, and the entirety of the annual decrease. Exports of gasoline and jet fuel increased slightly in 2025 over 2024. As in previous years, Mexico was the most popular destination by volume for all three fuels, especially gasoline.
Distillate fuel oil, which is chiefly diesel fuel, is the largest transportation fuel export by volume from the United States and the third-largest petroleum export, after crude oil and propane. Distillate fuel oil exports in 2025 decreased by 28,000 b/d (2%) compared with 2024 and continued to remain below 2019 levels. Exports to Mexico averaged about 220,000 b/d (17% of total distillate exports), the most to any country but about 48,000 b/d (18%) lower than in 2024. The second-largest destination for distillate exports was Chile, where exports increased by about 16,000 b/d (15%) from 2024.
The third-largest destination for U.S. distillate exports last year was Brazil. Distillate exports to Brazil have decreased significantly since 2019, when they averaged nearly 200,000 b/d. In 2025, distillate exports to Brazil averaged 103,000 b/d, more than double their 2024 volume but below volumes from 2022 or earlier. Lower distillate exports to Brazil partly reflect a change in global distillate trade after 2022. U.S. and EU sanctions on Russia reduced imports of distillate from Russia into European markets after the EU issued a ban on such imports in December 2022. Many Brazilian importers began importing discounted fuel from Russia during this time, which displaced volumes from the United States.
Distillate exports to destinations in Europe remained stronger in 2025 than they were before 2022. The United Kingdom set a record on an annual average basis in 2025, increasing to 89,000 b/d and rising above the previous record of 86,000 b/d set in 2024. Distillate exports to the Netherlands increased by 5,000 b/d (5%), totaling 98,000 b/d. 2025 was the highest volume of distillate to the Netherlands since 2015.
U.S. exports of gasoline, including exports of both finished motor gasoline and motor gasoline blending components, in 2025 averaged 902,000 b/d, an increase of 28,000 b/d (3%) compared with 2024. Mexico remains the largest destination by volume for gasoline exports, accounting for 486,000 b/d, or 54% of all gasoline exports. Historically, Mexico has not only consistently been the largest importer of U.S. gasoline but has also been the recipient of more than half of all U.S. gasoline exports in all but three years since we began publishing country-level export data in 1993. The next largest destinations after Mexico by share of gasoline exports in 2025 were Guatemala (6%), Colombia (5%), the Bahamas (4%), and Ecuador (3%). Over the past 10 years, Canada was the second-largest destination for U.S. gasoline exports after Mexico, but in 2025, Canada received just 22,000 b/d (about 2%) of U.S. gasoline exports—the least since 2009.
U.S. exports of kerosene-type jet fuel averaged 219,000 b/d in 2025. The top five destinations for jet fuel exports were Mexico (23%), Canada (19%), Panama (9%), the United Kingdom (5%), and Brazil (5%).
Principal contributor: Kevin Hack
