Brent edges over $111; all eyes on US jobs report

It's on course to end the week more than 1% higher

Brent futures edged above $111 a barrel on Friday, on course to end the week more than 1% higher, as traders awaited a US jobs report later in the day and severe weather cut oil production in Europe and the United States.

The US economy grew faster than initially estimated in the third quarter, data also showed on Thursday, suggesting demand could improve in the world's top oil consumer.

Price gains were curbed, though, by speculation that positive economic data would prompt the US Federal Reserve to start unwinding its bond-buying programme, which could reduce support for riskier assets such as oil and other commodities.

"GDP numbers were strong, so that makes us more comfortable about a recovery in the US economy," said Tony Nunan, oil risk manager at Mitsubishi Corp in Tokyo.

"But once tapering starts, that's probably time for people to take profits and get out of risk assets, including oil."

Brent crude for January delivery was up 23 cents at $111.21 a barrel at 0345 GMT, after falling 90 cents in the previous session. The benchmark was on course for a 1.3 percent weekly gain, its third in four.

U.S. crude was down 6 cent at $97.32 a barrel, after rising 18 cents on Thursday and touching a five-week high just shy of $98 a barrel.

The contract, buoyed by a drop in U.S. crude stockpiles after a 10-week increase, has gained 5 percent so far this week and is on track for its best weekly showing in five months.

LET IT SNOW

Oil prices on both sides of the Atlantic could be supported by severe weather in parts of Europe and the United States.

North Sea oil producers have cut output and moved staff from some platforms as a major storm blasted towards mainland Europe in what meteorologists warned could be the worst storm to hit the continent in years.

Cold weather has also dented some oil and gas production in the United States and could further crimp output in top crude-producing states like Texas and North Dakota.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday revised third quarter GDP growth sharply upwards. Weak demand and a pile-up in business inventories, however, buoyed the case for the Fed to keep buying bonds for now.

The focus will now be on U.S. nonfarm payrolls for November due at 1330 GMT for further signs of economic growth.

Transcanada Corp told shippers on Thursday that its 700,000-barrels-per-day pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Port Arthur, Texas, will be in service by mid-January.

The company said earlier this week it expected the pipeline to be in service on January 3, buoying U.S. oil prices. Oil traders have been awaiting details on the pipeline's start date as it will help relieve a supply glut at the Cushing hub, the delivery point for oil priced on WTI futures.

Also, with sanctions against Iran being eased last month in an interim deal, Tehran wants Western oil companies to revive its giant ageing oilfields and develop new oil and gas projects once sanctions are lifted.