Crude oil adds nearly 2 million barrels in US

Crude oil prices were mixed Wednesday after the US Energy Information Administration reported that crude oil inventories were up by 1.9 million barrels to 337.1 million barrels in the week ending August 17 against an expected decline.

Part of the advance came from crude oil imports which were up 9.5 percent to an average of 10.8 million barrels per day.

Meanwhile, gasoline stockpiles saw their biggest one-week decline in four years as inventories dropped by 5.7 million barrels to 196.2 million barrels during the week.

Distillates stockpiles, including heating oil and diesel fuel, were 1.3 million barrels higher to 129 million barrels.

West Texas Intermediate for October delivery dropped 31 cents to $69.26 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but Brent crude October contracts were 21 cents higher to $68.90 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange in London.

Nymex September gasoline added 3 cents to $1.89 per gallon, while October heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.96 per gallon.

October natural gas on the Nymex was down 24 cents to $5.79 per million British thermal units.