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Oil slipped below US$82 at the weekend as energy companies prepared to return workers to the offshore Gulf of Mexico after a storm triggered evacuations and production cuts last week.
Some 62.7 per cent of the Gulf's oil production was shut by the foul weather - the most cut from the region since massive hurricanes in 2005 powered through the region - but at least three oil companies said on Friday they planned to resume production soon.
US crude for November delivery settled down US16c to US$81.62 a barrel.
- Reuters
