U.S. oil supplies falling but still strong

WASHINGTON, April 19 (UPI) -- U.S. crude oil inventories last week fell by 800,000 barrels, the Energy Department reported Wednesday.

However, at 345.2 million barrels, supplies remain well above the upper end of the average range for this time of year.

Gasoline inventories dropped by 5.4 million barrels in the week ending April 14 and are now just above the lower end of the average range.

A big drop in diesel fuel supplies left distillate fuel inventories down by 2.8 million barrels last week but above the upper end of the average range for this time of year.

Heating oil supplies, for which demand has seasonally fallen, remained stable.