Oil prices took a sudden turn higher Wednesday, after falling in the immediate wake of a U.S. government report, which showed a surprise weekly rise in crude stockpiles and a climb in total domestic crude production. But the report also revealed bigger-than-expected declines in supplies of gasoline and distillate stockpiles. “The product stock draws are bullish despite the crude build,” said Troy Vincent, oil analyst at ClipperData. He also pointed out new reports of a fire that broke out on Shell’s Enchilada oil platform, prompting its shutdown early Wednesday. A climb in December gasoline of 2.1 cents, or 1.2%, to $1.837 a gallon led oil prices higher. December West Texas Intermediate crude added 62 cents, or 1.1%, to trade at $57.81 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
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