Oil edges up after US refinery supply outages

SINGAPORE, May 17 (Reuters) Oil prices edged up on Thursday, supported by U.S. refinery shutdowns that are cutting fuel supplies ahead of peak summer demand.

London Brent crude currently seen as more representative of the global oil market, rose 20 cents to .17 a barrel for new front month July delivery, after the June contract expired 10 cents down at .01.

U.S. crude futures rose 19 cents to .74 a barrel, after falling 62 cents on Wednesday when U.S. government data showed rising crude and gasoline inventories.

Crude stocks rose 1 million barrels last week, surpassing analyst expectations for a 100,000-barrel build, the U.S.

government data showed.

Gasoline stocks rose 1.7 million barrels as imports surged to 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) -- the fifth highest level on record. But a string of donestic refinery shutdowns in the world's top consumer have kept worries bubbling over summer supplies.

''Our analysis shows a substantial increase in planned maintenance scheduled for the coming week,'' said JP Morgan.

Prices came under pressure on Wednesday after Nigerian protesters ended their occupation of an oil hub in the world's eighth biggest exporter. The sit-in by villagers had forced operator Royal Dutch Shell to cut output by 170,000 bpd.

Militant attacks have shut nearly 900,000 bpd, or 30 percent of supply capacity, from Africa's biggest oil producer.

THe Nigerian disruptions, together with worries over Iran's dispute with the West and supply cuts by OPEC producers, have helped Brent climb 12 percent this year.

Consumer nations have called on OPEC to increase production but the cartel says it sees no need to act. Its next scheduled meeting is in September.

''OPEC is incredibly relaxed at the current state of the market,'' said Barclays Capital. ''Without that increase, we expect the market to overheat in the second half of the year.'' REUTERS SI HS1128