U.S. crude supplies probably dropped for a second week as refineries increased operating rates to the highest level since July 2012, a Bloomberg survey showed. Inventories decreased by 3 million barrels, or 0.8 percent, to 382.8 million in the week ended Dec. 6, based on the median of nine analyst estimates before a report tomorrow from the Energy Information Administration. Eight of the respondents forecast a decline and one said there was a gain. The refinery utilization rate rose to 92.9 percent from 92.4 percent the prior week, the survey showed. That would leave operating rates at the highest level since July 20, 2012, according to the EIA, the Energy Department’s statistical arm. Refineries have increased processing in three of the last four weekly reports. “There’s a strong feeling that there will be another sizable draw in crude supplies,” said John Kilduff , a partner at Again Capital LLC, […]