WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- US domestic oil production and refinery output should return to pre-hurricane levels by November, the Energy Department said on Wednesday.

    The Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical agency of the US Energy Department, said that domestic oil production should return to just under 5.4 million barrels a day in November, or the level in August before Hurricane Katrina disrupted most of the Gulf production and knocked out ten Gulf coast refineries.

    The EIA also said the US refining capacity should rebound with an anticipated output of gasoline and other fuels of nearly 16.4 million barrels a day in November, the same as the August levels.

    Testifying before a US House committee examining the energy impacts of Hurricane Katrina, EIA director Guy Caruso said that the forecast will depend on the timing and pace of repairs to oil platforms and refineries. However, he said that "the infrastructure has been coming back more quickly" than had been expected. Enditem