Oil prices were higher today after the IEA joined OPEC in forecasting strong growth in global oil remand. Also helping prices, cold weather disrupted US crude output. In the United States, about 40% of oil output in North Dakota’s oil output remained shut-in due to extreme cold weather and operational challenges, the top oil-producing state’s pipeline authority said on Wednesday. The EIA reported a draw of 2.5MM/bbls, higher larger then expected. “The fear of another large build of total inventories has not materialized, modestly supporting prices,” said Giovanni Staunovo, analyst at UBS. WTI traded up $1.52 or 2% to close at $74.08. Brent traded up $1.22 or 1.6% to close at $79.10.