Oil above $62; fresh attack in Nigeria

LONDON, Dec 7 (Reuters) Oil was steady above on Thursday, caught in a 6-dollar trading range that has held almost continuously since late September.

Putting a lid on prices is the knowledge that crude oil stocks in top consumer the United States are at their highest level for the time of year since 1993.

But prospects of a further OPEC oil output cut next week, a fresh attack on Nigeria's oil industry and simmering tensions over Iran's nuclear programme are providing a floor.

U.S. crude rose five cents to .24 by 0952 GMT.

London Brent crude was up 10 cents at .17. The European market is more sensitive to supply disruptions in Nigeria, the world's eight biggest exporter.

A fifth of Nigerian output is already closed because of militant attacks. On Thursday gunmen struck an Agip oil export terminal in the Niger Delta and kidnapped three Italians.

Eni said work at the terminal was unaffected.

Oil got little lift on Wednesday from data showing commercial crude stocks in the United States unexpectedly fell by 1.1 million barrels last week. [EIA/S] Distillate inventories, including heating oil, declined by 400,000 barrels, roughly in line with expectations.

''With WTI prices having recently moved back to the top end of their two-month range, this report provided few fireworks for the market,'' said First Energy Capital analyst Martin King.

Traders will be watching on Thursday for U.S. natural gas stock data, with analysts expecting a drop in inventories that may boost prices, possibly encouraging some users who can switch fuels to burn more heating oil instead. [ID:nN06429004] Prices are being restrained by expectations that a recent Northeast U.S. cold snap will relent by the weekend.

REUTERS SBA DS1600