NEW YORK: Brent crude oil futures rose on supply worries from OPEC nations Libya and Iraq.
Labor unrest in Libya has forced oil output to its lowest since the 2011 civil war, with the country's total oil production well below 500,000 barrels per day (bpd), from 1.3 million bpd in June.
This sparked fear of a supply shortfall in the northern hemisphere ahead of winter heating season and kept a floor under prices, analysts said.
Libya's state National Oil Corporation said in a statement to shippers it could not provide September loading schedules, normally due by now, as on-again, off-again strikes paralyze its ports.
The disruptions can be "manageable" if Saudi Arabia maintains high levels of production, said Sarah Emerson, managing director of Energy Security Analysis Inc. in Wakefield, Massachusetts.
"The question is how long does it last. Today it’s manageable. That’s the piece that keeps the market at $105 and not at $110."
Richard Mallinson, chief policy analyst at London-based consultancy Energy Aspects, told Reuters Global Oil Forum, output was around 400,000 bpd and pegged exports at around 300,000 bpd. Libya has a production capacity of around 1.6 million bpd.
Additionally, maintenance work at Iraq's key southern oil export hub is expected to cut supplies by 500,000 bpd in September, lending further support to prices in the medium term.
Front-month Brent crude oil futures for September delivery were trading 56 cents higher at $109.53 at 11:49 a.m. EDT.
Brent rose back above its 200-day moving average on Monday at $108.17, a technical marker watched by traders. The contract had also fully breached the short-term 10-and-15 day moving averages on Tuesday.
Trading in CME Group's New York Mercantile Exchange Brent crude oil contract hit a record on Tuesday, the exchange said, at 104,839 contracts, eclipsing the previous record of 90,390 made late last week.
Higher oil prices are already taking their toll on oil refiners in Europe, who are expected to cut their processing rates by around 500,000 bpd this week on poor profit margins.
In the United States, front month crude oil futures erased early gains and were trading 13 cents lower at $105.98, after rising by more than $1 per barrel.
Producers came into the market to sell once the contract hit $106.50, around 9 a.m. EDT, two brokers said, sending prices lower.
Some positive US data capped losses. A gauge of US consumer spending rose in July at its fastest pace in seven months.
Also supporting prices are expectations for data to show a draw in crude oil supplies.
US crude oil and gasoline stockpiles probably fell last week, according to seven analysts polled by Reuters on Monday.
The poll, ahead of weekly inventory reports from the American Petroleum Institute and the US Energy information administration, forecast a 1.5 million barrels draw in crude oil inventories and a 900,000-barrel fall in gasoline stockpiles.
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