Crude oil supplies drop in week

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. crude oil inventories dropped by 1.9 million barrels in the week ending Aug. 29, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Thursday.

Crude inventories fell from 305.8 million barrels to 303.9 million barrels, during a week in which petroleum supplies dropped in all categories, EIA said.

Gasoline inventories fell by 1 million barrels to 194.4 million barrels, while supplies of distillate fuels, which includes heating oil, dropped to 131.7 million barrels, down by 0.4 million.

Finished gasoline and gasoline blending components inventories also fell during the week in which some refineries were briefly closed due to Hurricane Gustav.