Refineries in the United States, meanwhile, were running at 86.2 percent of capacity last week
Oil prices fell to a five-month low on Thursday with stockpiles of US crude deemed sufficient by traders despite forecasts for a frosty heating season to come.
US light sweet crude for delivery in December fell $1.55 to $56.34 a barrel, the lowest close by crude futures here since June 15 on the NYMEX.
London's Brent January delivery futures fell $1.15 to $54.85 a barrel on the IPE.
Commercial crude oil stockpiles in the United States are 12 percent higher than a year ago, despite a surprise decrease last week, while inventories of heating oil are running about 8 percenthigher, according to government figures.
Refineries in the United States, meanwhile, were running at 86.2 percent of capacity last week, leaving fuel suppliers room to boost production once cold weather fires up the nation's furnaces.
