Oil prices in Asia inched higher today ahead of an OPEC producers' meeting, which is unlikely to tinker with supplies, despite pressure to fill in a shortfall created by Iraq's suspension of exports.
Benchmark US light crude futures for July stood 17 cents higher at $28.30 a barrel, building on yesterday's 20 cents gain.
OPEC ministers meet in Vienna today, to discuss output for the third quarter.
Many delegates have said they preferred leaving quotas unchanged, as the inventories were adequate and prices were still within their preferred $22-$28 a barrel range for the OPEC basket of crudes.
OPEC had cut its output by a total of 2.5 million barrels-per-day (bpd) in its last two meetings.
OPEC secretary general Mr Ali Rodriguez also said that for the time being market supplies were sufficient.
Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali-al Naimi, who on Saturday pledged to plug any gaps in the oil market created by a Iraq export suspension, however declined to comment to waiting reporters on arrival in Vienna.
But Qatar Oil Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah said in Vienna that no one within the group, not even Saudi Arabia, has made any proposal to OPEC for an output rise at today's meeting.
Iraq has ceased oil exports since yesterday in protest against the United Nations decision to extend the oil-for-food program for a month, instead of the usual six.
Its OPEC representative said the month-long cut off would stay until early July. Beyond that, Iraqi OPEC delegates said, Baghdad would have to review policy.
Iraq now provides for some 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, amounting to nearly five per cent of world exports.