LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the U.S. government have decided there is no need to release oil from strategic reserves after hurricanes Gustav and Ike disrupted production, the IEA said late on Friday. The two recent storms shut down almost all U.S. Gulf Coast crude oil production, constraining the nation's fuel supplies. "After a thorough joint assessment of the impact of hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the International Energy Agency and the U.S. government have decided that a collective action to release oil to the market from strategic reserves is not necessary at this time," the IEA said in a statement on its website. "Not all refiners are ready to produce yet, but the assessment of the U.S. government and the IEA on balance is that, despite a significant loss of crude oil and product due to the shut-ins, there remains adequate flexibility in the system to offset this supply disruption," the IEA said. U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman had said earlier on Friday the United States would not ask IEA members to release emergency gasoline and diesel supplies in the wake of Hurricane Ike. "We will not be asking the IEA to contribute, because we are reasonably satisfied with the rate of recovery in the area," Bodman said, adding any gasoline shortages would be temporary. Member-countries of the Paris-based IEA hold emergency oil stocks for use in case of supply shocks. They were last tapped in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina caused major disruption in the Gulf of Mexico. (Reporting by Alex Lawler, writing by Catherine Evans, editing by Carol Bishopric)
A Haitian carries clean water for cooking down a flooded street in the town of Gonaives September 19, 2008. Haiti has been blasted by four storms - Hurricanes Gustav and Ike ...
