据WENews.网站2019年2月12日休斯顿报道，自去年12月初以来，美国的原油库存量一直徘徊在4.3亿桶至4.5亿桶高位之间，比每年这个时候的五年平均水平高出了6%左右。

但有迹象表明，原油供应正在开始减少，美国页岩油生产商已经削减产量，过去四周美国原油进口量比去年同期下降了7.5%，而油轮跟踪数据也显示沙特阿拉伯原油发货量也出现了下降。

与此同时，布伦特原油自今年初以来的交易价格一直徘徊在每桶53美元至62美元之间。截至周一，布伦特原油价格大约为每桶61.50美元。

对原油价格跌至每桶40美元或更低水平的担忧已经消退。目前，市场人气已转好。

多数分析师预计，欧佩克+减产协议最终将重新平衡供需，为油价上涨提供支撑。沙特阿拉伯的目标是让原油价格回到80美元的区间。

但美国国会日前通过的一项法案可能会扰乱欧佩克限制石油供应的努力，该法案允许司法部起诉欧佩克成员国违反反垄断法。根据《谢尔曼反托拉斯法》，对共谋行为的惩罚非常严厉，而如果美国的《禁止石油生产和出口卡特尔法》(No Oil production and export Cartels Act)生效，石油定价届时可能会变得不稳定。

李峻 编译自 WENews.com

原文如下：

US Crude Inventory Remains High

U.S. crude inventory has been hovering between 430 and 450 million barrels since early December — and remains around 6% above the five year average for this time of year.

But there are indications that crude supply is beginning to decrease. U.S. shale producers have cut back on production, while crude imports in the U.S. over the past four weeks are down 7.5% from last year and tanker tracking data indicate a decline in Saudi crude shipments.

Meanwhile, Brent crude has traded in the range of $53 to $62 since the beginning of the year. As of Monday, Brent is trading around $61.50.

The fear of crude prices dropping into the $40s or lower has faded. Market sentiment has turned positive — for the time being.

Most analysts expect that the OPEC+ supply curtailment deal will ultimately rebalance supply and demand and provide support for higher oil prices. The Saudis are targeting getting crude prices back to the $80 range.

But a bill in the U.S. Congress to enable the Justice Department to sue OPEC+ members for antitrust violations has the potential to disrupt OPEC efforts to limit oil supply. Penalties for collusion under the Sherman Antitrust Act are draconian — and if the "No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act" law is enacted oil pricing could become volatile.