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SINGAPORE, June 13 (Reuters) Oil prices drifted lower to hover around $70 a barrel on Tuesday, taking pause to watch the season's first Atlantic storm as it gained intensity on a path that should steer it well clear of U.S. energy installations.

Iran's reluctance to give up its atomic programme, unrelenting violence in Iraq and strong demand signals from China all lent the market support, however, keeping prices up 15 percent this year and within sight of their record high of $75.35.

U.S. light sweet crude for July slipped 32 cents to $70.04 a barrel by 0334 GMT, extending Monday's $1.27 slump. London Brent crude lost 31 cents to $68.62 a barrel.

Tropical Storm Alberto unexpectedly gained power over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, threatening to become the season's first hurricane, but it remained on track to come ashore in northwest Florida, well clear of Gulf oil rigs and refineries.

It was packing winds up to 70 miles per hour (110 kph) and could still become a hurricane before making landfall on Tuesday morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, adding that the hazard posed by Alberto was storm surge flooding.

Relief that Alberto would spare the U.S. Gulf Coast, source of a quarter of the country's oil and gas, was short-lived as traders refocused on future risks -- from summer demand to geopolitical tensions to the threat of more severe storms.

''Going into the peak demand season from a tighter (supply) base than last year makes it difficult to see lower prices,'' said Michael Coleman, director at hedge fund Aisling Analytics.

''I don't think we will see them much below $70 for very long.'' U.S. gasoline inventories stood about 2.4 percent below year-ago levels a week ago but are expected to have risen by 1.4 million barrels in week to June 9, a seventh consecutive build, a preliminary Reuters poll shows. S] Crude stocks were seen rising by 400,000 barrels and distillate inventories climbing 1.6 million barrels. U.S.

government stock data are due out on Wednesday.

IRAN, IRAQ IN FOCUS Iran's uncertain signals on a Western offer to defuse the stand-off over its nuclear programme has whipsawed oil markets, with Tehran first sounding a positive note on the incentives last week but later citing some problems.

Pressure to give a clear reply to the offer mounts this week as the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meets in Vienna. Iran, which began a new round of uranium enrichment only last week, reiterated its right to continue such work, but did not reject the offer outright.

In Iraq, some hope for higher oil exports after the killing of al Qaeda's country leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi faded amid ongoing violence, although the resumption of northern pipeline shipments appeared an encouraging sign.

At the weekend, Iraq resumed pumping through its vital line to Turkey after a four-month halt and will sell the crude once it builds up enough stocks, industry sources said. The pipeline has operated sporadically since 2003 due to repeated sabotage.

U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said he did not expect the number of attacks on Iraqi oil operations to fall.

REUTERS KD BST0952