NEW YORK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Crude prices rose Wednesday on forecasts of the strength and direction of two tropical storms.

    A new forecast suggested Tropical Storm Dean could pass to the south of the Gulf of Mexico, missing the region entirely or returning much diminished in strength.

    Traders worry that Dean, which is expected to become a hurricane on Thursday, could damage oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf, cutting supplies.

    Prices were boosted when a second tropical depression, located in the Gulf south of Texas, strengthened and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Erin. However, the storm is not expected to have much impact on production.

    The government reported larger-than-expected declines in oil and gasoline inventories last week.

    Light, sweet crude for September delivery rose 95 cents to at 73.33 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.