During the week ended February 11, crude oil reserves swelled by 1.1 million barrels, while analysts had expected a reduction of 2.17 million.
Commercial crude oil reserves in the United States rose last week, disappointing analysts who had expected a significant decline for the third week in a row.
In the week ended Feb. 11, crude inventories rose 1.1 million barrels to 411.5 million barrels, according to figures released Wednesday by the US Oil and Gas Information Agency. energy (EIA).
The median forecast of analysts polled by Bloomberg was a reduction of 2.17 million.
Added to these figures, however, is the reduction in strategic reserves which have shrunk by 2.7 million barrels as the Biden administration continues to release reserves of crude into the market in the hope of lowering prices by increasing oil. ‘offer.
A sign that demand remains strong, stocks of other petroleum products have melted.
Those of gasoline fell by 1.3 million barrels when analysts expected an increase of half a million.
As for distilled products (heating oil, diesel), their reserves fell by 1.6 million barrels, more than expected by the market.
Prices, which had started to rise again at the opening on Wednesday, after the fall the day before due to signs of easing in the Ukrainian crisis, continued to rise after the publication of these figures.
Around 3:55 p.m. GMT, a barrel of Brent from the North Sea for delivery in April gained 2.43% to 95.53 dollars. In New York, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) due in March rose 2.50% to 94.38 dollars.