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Brent oil edged higher above $109 a barrel on Wednesday as export disruptions in Libya cut supplies to Europe and Asia, while the benchmark US contract fell towards $97 after a bigger-than-expected increase in inventories in the US.
The divergent course of North American and international oil markets boosted Brent's premium over the US benchmark to more than $12 a barrel, with the heavily traded spread on course to settle at its widest level since April.
Traders were also looking ahead to comments from a US Federal Reserve policy meeting that ends later in the day, but any impact on oil prices may be limited.
The U.S. central bank is widely expected to maintain its massive economic stimulus programme.
Brent crude for December delivery was up 38 cents at $109.39 a barrel by 1117 GMT, after falling 60 cents on Tuesday. It touched an intraday high of $109.64 on Wednesday.
U.S. crude, also known as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), was 92 cents lower at $97.28, having hit an intraday low of $97.19.
