Crude Stocks - "13% up from same 2004 date"

Aha!  No wonder the crude price is so low.

So has the US been stockpiling (at the expense of poorer countries), or has there been more supply than demand?

It is also interesting to note that the Crude Stocks started to really ramp up around May which is when Crude prices started to rise quite steeply.  Did the buying involved with the stockpiling contribute to the higher price?

Definitely some very interesting graphs.

Could it be the refining shortage? We can't put crude in the gas tank.