WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. rail delivery of petroleum and petroleum products was up 7.8 percent last week from the same period in 2013, the American Association of Railroads said.
The AAR said 14,317 carloads of petroleum and petroleum products, or about 1 million barrels of oil, were delivered on the rail system for the week ending Feb. 22, up from the same time last year.
Since Jan. 1, 114,290 carloads, or about 80 million barrels of oil, were delivered on the U.S. rail system, a 7.8 percent increase from the same period last year, the AAR said Thursday.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration said this week the sustained cold gripping much of the eastern half of the country disrupted everything from crude oil refining to pipeline operations and rail deliveries.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports a cold snap is expected to continue through the end of February and into early March.
Industry officials say the increase in U.S. crude oil production is outstripping the existing pipeline capacity, forcing some energy companies to turn to rail as an alternate transit option.
The AAR's rail count excludes deliveries from the Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway.
