The price of West Texas Intermediate crude had risen for five consecutive days as of yesterday afternoon – “the longest stretch of gains since April” – on news of escalating unrest in Egypt, as Brent hit a four-month high. A police crackdown on protests in Egypt has left more than 500 dead. [Bloomberg]

Iran has detained a Shipping Corp of India oil tanker transporting 140,000 tons of Iraqi crude to India “to check pollution”. Sources said the ship was still in the Persian Gulf yesterday, with details on its status expected today. [Reuters]

Marathon and BP have both begun evacuating some workers from Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms in preparation for the arrival of a storm in the northwestern Carribean Sea that could become a cyclone as it nears the US Gulf Coast, but production is ongoing. “Drilling rigs it has hired have suspended work and are being prepared to be moved out of the storm’s way if necessary, BP said.” [Wall Street Journal]