The EIA reported a draw of -4,870 MBbls in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The draw was larger than the average estimate of -736 as reported by Bloomberg.
Prices were down in the five minutes following the announcement, to $82.12 from $82.21 just before 09:30 AM.
Inventories for the U.S. are now at a deficit of 17.30 MMBbls (-3.8%) to last year, and a deficit of 21.90 MMBbls (-4.7%) to the five-year average.
