U.S. crude oil imports from African producers are declining because of domestic production and China is taking up the slack, the Energy Department said. The rapid increase in the amount of crude oil produced in the United States is squeezing African producers out of the market. The Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the Energy Department, said crude oil imports in general for the week ending May 16 were 6.4 million barrels per day, down nearly 10 percent from the previous report. In its weekly report , published Wednesday, EIA said African crude oil exports to the United States were declining. “African crude that until recently flowed to the United States has been diverted to serve European markets that have historically been served by Libya and to supply increased demand in Asian markets where, despite Libyan disruptions, deliveries of African crude have increased Libyan […]