Can anyone explain the discrepancy between the Energy department and API numbers as posted at USA Today?  Hopefully the link works.

http://markets.usatoday.com/custom/usatoday-com/html-story.asp?markets=Commodities&guid=%7BF8232 2FD%2D8132%2D451E%2DBE7D%2D96587BC10F72%7D

If not some quotes from the article.

"The Energy Department reported that distillate supplies fell only 100,000 barrels in the week ended Dec. 9. Separately, the API said they fell 3.54 million barrels. January heating oil rose 1.1 cents to $1.8475 a gallon on the New York Mercantile Exchange."

"Also, the Energy Department said weekly crude supplies rose 900,000 barrels, while the API said they declined 1.94 million barrels. Crude futures gained 8 cents to $61.45 a barrel."

"Gasoline stocks increased 1.8 million barrels, according to the Energy Department, while the API said they rose 412,000 barrels. Gasoline futures added 0.41 cent to $1.65 a gallon."

These are some pretty big differences.  A person who believed in conspiracies might think the U.S. government was padding the numbers to keep things looking good.

Err....shades of Michael Ruppert's postulated "Plunge Protection Team" at work?