WASHINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S.Senate's energy committee asked the Justice Department on Fridayto investigate whether alleged price manipulation by three oilcompanies in Europe has boosted fuel prices for U.S. consumers.
"Efforts to manipulate the European oil indices, if proven,may have already impacted U.S. consumers and businesses, becauseof the interrelationships among world oil markets and hedgingpractices," Senator Ron Wyden, the chairman of the Senate Energyand Natural Resources Committee, wrote in a letter to AttorneyGeneral Eric Holder.
European anti-trust investigators raided the offices ofStatoil, Royal Dutch Shell and BP onTuesday in search of evidence of possible price manipulation onoil markets.
Wyden asked the Justice Department to also investigatewhether oil market manipulation was taking place in the UnitedStates.
BP (BP.)
