World oil prices have fallen by $2 a barrel on expectations that energy demand may weaken because of economic troubles in the US.
New York's main contract slumped by $2.03 to $73.45, having hit a historic high of $78.77 last Wednesday on news of sliding crude stockpiles in the US, the world's biggest consumer of energy.
In London, the price of Brent North Sea crude shed $1.97 to $72.78.
Analysts blamed recent figures such as last week's weak US employment figures for the falls, as a slowing economy could hurt demand for oil.
