據管道&天然氣雜志網8月11日報道，盡管美國原油庫存出現歷史性下跌，但油價周三下跌2%，由于一家主要評級機構惠譽下調了美國政府的最高信用評級。

美國能源信息署（EIA）8月9日公布，美國原油庫存當周減少1700萬桶，為1982年以來最大降幅。該減少是由煉油廠運行增加和原油出口強勁推動的。

盡管庫存減少額創歷史新高，但在評級機構惠譽下調美國政府的最高信用評級后，美國油價在金融市場下跌。

美國原油期貨下跌1.88美元，至每桶79.49美元，跌幅2.3%；布倫特原油期貨下跌1.71美元，至每桶83.20美元，跌幅2%。

根據美國石油工業（APC）協會周二公布的數據顯示，美國石油庫存下降，也顯示美國石油庫存大幅減少，受此提振，原油期貨WTI和布倫特兩合約價均上漲逾1美元。

據交易員和分析師表示，美國政府取消了為戰略石油儲備(Strategic Petroleum Reserve)購買600萬桶石油的提議，也拉低了油價。

據EIA稱，作為需求指標的原油總供應量本周也減少了130萬桶，至每天2000萬桶。

市場分析機構OANDA美洲高級市場分析師愛德華·莫亞(Edward Moya)表示，在油價上漲后，汽油需求似乎已經見頂。

歐佩克事實上的領導人表示，由于需求超過供應，其他地區的原油庫存也開始下降，而沙特大幅減產限制了原油庫存。

與此同時，本周公布的疲弱PMI數據表明，燃料需求可能弱于預期。

據分析師預計，在周五的產油國會議上，沙特阿拉伯將把自愿減產100萬桶/日的協議再延長一個月，將9月份包括在內。

據六位歐佩克+消息人士告訴路透社稱，歐佩克+不太可能在周五的小組會議上修改目前的石油產量政策。

郝芬 譯自 管道&天然氣雜志網

原文如下：

Oil Prices Fall 2% Despite Record US Crude Stock Drawdown

Oil prices settled down 2% on Wednesday despite a historic drop in U.S. crude stocks, as traders derisk following the downgrade of the U.S. government's top credit by a major ratings agency.

U.S. crude stocks fell in the week by 17 million barrels, the largest drop in U.S. crude inventories according to records dating back to 1982, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. The draw was driven by increased refinery runs and strong crude exports.

Despite the record stock draw, U.S. oil prices fell amid falls across financial markets after rating agency Fitch downgraded the U.S. government's top credit rating.

U.S. crude futures settled down $1.88, or 2.3%, to $79.49 a barrel while Brent crude futures settled down $1.71, or 2%, to $83.20 a barrel.

Both contracts rose by more than $1 earlier on the session, buoyed by falling U.S. stockpiles in Tuesday's data from the American Petroleum Industry, which also indicated a large U.S. stockpile drawdown.

That the U.S. government has pulled an offer to buy 6 million barrels of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve also pushed prices lower, traders and analysts said.

Total product supplied — a proxy for demand — also fell by 1.3 million barrels in the week to 20 million barrels per day, the EIA said.

"Gasoline demand seems to have peaked after higher prices at the pump," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst of the Americas at OANDA.

Crude oil inventories have also begun to drop in other regions as demand outpaces supply, which has been constrained by deep production cuts from Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said.

Weak PMI data released this week, meanwhile, indicated fuel demand may be weaker than expected.

Analysts expect Saudi Arabia to extend its voluntary oil output cut of 1 million barrels per day for another month to include September in a meeting of producers on Friday.

OPEC+, which groups OPEC and allies, is unlikely to revise its current oil output policy when a panel meets on Friday, six OPEC+ sources told Reuters.