In an unexpected turn, the US crude oil inventories have skyrocketed by 12.9 million barrels over the past week, as revealed by the American Petroleum Institute's (API) latest data. This sharp rise contrasts with the previous week's dip of 4.2 million barrels. Furthermore, gasoline reserves have been on an upward trajectory, with an increase of 3.6 million barrels, succeeding the prior week's 3.9 million barrel boost. With the official numbers from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) due on Wednesday, economists are projecting more modest gains: 0.9 million barrels for crude and 0.4 million barrels for gasoline. The industry and market analysts are keenly observing these shifts, indicating potential ripple effects across the energy sector.