Brent past $104 in Asia on Middle East tensions

I / Singapore February 17, 2011, 14:18 IST

Oil surged past $104 in Asian trade today as inflamed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East drove crude supply concerns, analysts said.

Brent North Sea crude for delivery in April added 49 cents to $104.27 per barrel, and New York's main contract, light sweet crude for March delivery gained 27 cents to $85.26.

Growing animosity in the Middle East was rallying crude prices, said Victor Shum, senior principal of Purvin and Gertz energy consultants in Singapore. "Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are keeping oil prices up," he said.

"This is all due really to the news that Iran is going to send ships to the Suez Canal, and also other news about people protesting in other countries besides Egypt," Shum added.     

Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday said Iran was sending two warships into the eastern Mediterranean, labelling the act a "provocation" that the Jewish state cannot ignore for long.

He added that Iranian warships cruising past Israel's coast was something that had not occurred for many years and was a "provocation that proves the self confidence and cheek of the Iranians is growing from day-to-day."

Elsewhere in the Middle East, pro-democracy protests erupted in violence in Bahrain, with reports of two killed as security forces attacked demonstrators in Manama today.  

Tensions in the Middle East, home to major Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members, tend to push oil prices higher as traders worry over the potential for supply disruption.