U.S. crude oil production edged lower in December to 11.85 million barrels per day, its first decline since May, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a monthly report on Thursday.
Production fell 56,000 bpd from a record 11.91 million bpd in November, the agency said.
While output rose in Texas and North Dakota, the largest onshore oil-producing states, the gains were offset by production declines in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
