Oil prices were mixed in afternoon trade in Asia on Thursday, as markets digested data indicating weak energy demand in the United States, analysts said.
New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January, eased 22 cents to $70.45 a barrel in the afternoon, falling back after rising in the morning.
Brent North Sea crude for January delivery was up four cents to $72.43, paring bigger gains earlier.
Oil were much higher at the beginning of trade on bargain hunting.
Analysts said traders were spooked after the US Department of Energy (DoE) released on Wednesday figures showing distillate stockpiles rose an unexpected 1.6 million barrels for the week ended December 4. Predictions had been for a 500,000-barrel fall.
The figures offset a 3.8 million fall in crude stockpiles in the world's biggest energy consumer.
"The US data was received negatively by oil markets," the Commonwealth Bank of Australia said in a report.
Jason Feer, Asia-Pacific vice-president of Singapore energy analyst Argus Media, said the numbers showed that oil markets were still reeling from a dearth of energy demand.
Calling the numbers "bearish", he said a gain in distillate stocks at this time of year was symptomatic of weak demand.
Distillates include diesel and heating fuel, which usually see rising demand as the northern hemisphere's winter approaches.
