Oil and gasoline futures eased on profit-taking in early deals, and the US government coordinated efforts to try to ease what is expected to be a gasoline supply squeeze in the coming weeks. At 10.57 am, October-dated Brent futures contracts were down 32 cents at 67.40 usd. Meanwhile, US benchmark October-dated contracts were down 44 cents at 69.04 usd, in pre-market deals. "Prices are a little lower this morning, I am told that Asian customers are selling because there are no new reported problems," said Societe General analyst Deborah White. "Time will tell if this is true, but with Ivan last year it took up to a week," for the true extent of the damage to be ascertained, she added. Meanwhile the US Environmental Protection agency has eased the standard of gasoline, switching early to winter grade gasoline, which could add 6 pct to the pool of stocks, analysts said. In addition, the EPA has changed the sulphur content standard for diesel making it possible to use heating oil as diesel, which analysts said will help to ease the situation. Furthermore, President Bush has asked the homeland security department to waive restrictions on using foreign tankers to carry cargo between domestic ports. This move is designed to help move stocks that would ordinarily be moved by pipes, which have been damaged by Katrina, White said. Analysts noted that eight US refineries still do not have power, which accounts for 10 pct of US refining capacity. They noted it could take up to six months to repair US oil infrastructure. US gasoline inventories have been under pressure since spring, and a further large loss in stocks due to Katrina is expected to show up in next week's weekly inventory report. US gasoline prices have since eased from Wednesday's record 2.92 usd a gallon to 2.14 usd today. US pump prices meanwhile remain as high as 3.50 usd a gallon in some US states. "The initial reaction (after Katrina) was for people to panic and fill up their tanks," which did not help the situation, White said. Separately, the US coast guard yesterday confirmed that some 20 rigs or platforms were adrift, listing, or submerged in the Gulf of Mexico. US trade will be shut on Monday for the Labor Day holiday, during which gasoline demand is expected to rise.