Winter heating oil import dependence set to jump

The U.S. energy industry has sharply reduced its production of heating oil in favor of cleaner, higher-profit fuels like diesel — a move that could see the nation relying more heavily on imports next winter heating season, analysts said Wednesday.

The move has led to a sharp fall in heating oil stocks in recent months but energy experts said it is unlikely the United States will face a crunch due to the wide availability of foreign shipments.

InternationalBusinessTimes