The roller-coaster oil futures market took a dive.

Oil futures plunged nearly $2 a barrel after posting a $1.59 gain Monday. Analysts said word that the Soviet Union was back selling crude, after a winter sales suspension, helped depress prices. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, contracts for May delivery of West Texas Intermediate, the main U.S crude grade, closed at $12.47 per 42-gallon barrel, down $1.86 from $14.33 on Monday.