Crude oil prices rose today after the Energy Information Administration reported a crude oil inventory draw of 6.6 million barrels for the week to February 5. Gasoline and middle distillate inventories were mixed again. The report came a day after the American Petroleum Institute depressed oil traders by reporting a sizeable inventory build in gasoline, dashing hopes of a quick recovery in fuel demand. Analysts had expected the EIA to report a build in crude oil inventories, at 1.34 million barrels. A week earlier, the authority had estimated a crude oil inventory draw of 1 million barrels. In gasoline, the EIA reported an inventory increase of 4.3 million barrels for the reporting period, versus a hefty rise of 4.5 million barrels reported for the previous week. Gasoline production averaged 8.7 million bpd last week, up from 8.4 million bpd a week earlier. In middle distillates, the EIA reported an […]