Oil prices rise in Asia

Oil prices rose in Asian trade on Thursday, gaining support from Iran's test of a missile that could hit Israel, dealers say.

New York's main oil contract, light sweet crude for August delivery, rose 63 cents to $US136.68 a barrel after closing one cent higher at $US136.05 on Wednesday at the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent North Sea oil for August gained 51 cents to $US137.09 after rising 15 cents to $US136.58 in London on Wednesday.

Prices have soared since breaking through $US100 at the start of the year, but are down about $US10 from record peaks near $US147 last week.

"I believe this market is not over yet," said Ken Hasegawa, manager of the energy desk at Newedge Japan brokerage in Tokyo.

He said the market was on the way to $US150 a barrel but should hold between $US130 and $US140 while tensions simmer in the Middle East.

"We have a serious matter about Iran and Israel. That should be the support of this market," Hasegawa said.

Iran, the world's fourth-largest crude producer, on Wednesday test-fired a missile it said is capable of reaching Israel, angering the United States amid growing fears that a standoff over Iran's nuclear drive could lead to war.

Iran insists its nuclear drive is aimed solely at generating energy but the West fears it could be aimed at making an atomic bomb and has called for a freeze of uranium enrichment.

On Tuesday, an aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would "set fire" to Israel and the US navy in the Gulf as its first response to any American attack.

Washington, Israel and Russia on Wednesday sought to downplay fears of an armed conflict with Iran.

Also on Wednesday, leaders of Group of Eight major industrial nations pledged at a summit in Japan to improve transparency and the supply and demand balance in the oil market by boosting dialogue between producing and consuming nations.

The comments had little impact on the oil market, Hasegawa said.

The US Department of Energy, in its weekly report, said American crude reserves fell 5.9 million barrels in the week to July 4, beyond the expected drop of 2.1 million barrels.

In another supply development, Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell said it lifted its force majeure provision on production of 225,000 barrels per day from its offshore Bonga oilfield in major African producer Nigeria.

Shell declared force majeure, a legal clause allowing producers to miss contracted deliveries because of circumstances beyond their control, after militants attacked the facility.