By Anthony Harrup U.S. crude oil stocks saw a large build last week while gasoline and distillate fuel inventories fell as refinery runs declined for a fifth.
Follow-through futures buying after Monday's reversal was running into a bit of resistance at midday Tuesday after the NYMEX March West Texas Intermediate.
The pending startup of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project is likely to be costly for U.S. refiners, who will face new international competition.