Oil was above $62 today as refinery glitches and lower gasoline stock levels in the United States coincided with the approach of summer motor fuel demand.
US crude was up 10 cents at $62.10 a barrel, after ending 21 cents higher yesterday at $62, its highest settlement since December 22nd.
London Brent crude traded 28 cents higher at $62.39.
Prices have been boosted this week after US data on Wednesday that showed gasoline stocks slid 1.9 million barrels. The data helped push the price of gasoline to a six-month high.
Longer-dated oil futures have also rallied, with December 2012 up 1.7 per cent this week to near $67 a barrel and outstripping the front month contract's 1.1 per cent gain.
Supplies of crude from Opec producers, excluding Iraq and Angola, fell further in February, a Reuters survey showed.
Opec member Iran's dispute with the United Nations Security Council over its nuclear programme has also been a supportive factor, as world powers made progress towards agreeing on new sanctions for Tehran.