* Statoil restarts shut N. Sea fields, briefly limits oil * API: Crude stocks rose unexpectedly, gasoline up sharply * Coming Up: US EIA oil data 10:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures prices rose on Wednesday as recent oil production disruptions and a snowstorm hitting the U.S. Northeast helped provide lift and investors awaited government oil inventory data. Brent crude oil futures prices LCOc1 rose above $98 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time in 27 months as production shutdowns and growing global demand raised expectations of tighter supplies. [O/R] While expectations were for crude stocks to be lower, U.S. crude oil stockpiles managed a 57,000-barrel gain last week, according to data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute released late on Tuesday. [API/S] Gasoline stocks rose a whopping 7.0 million barrels and distillate stocks rose 1.6 million barrels, according to the API report. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's government data will follow on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT). Ahead of the weekly inventory reports, an expanded Reuters survey of analysts on Tuesday forecast U.S. crude oil inventories fell 1.1 million barrels last week. [EIA/S] Distillate stocks were seen up 1.0 million barrels, while gasoline stocks were expected to be up 1.8 million barrels. FUNDAMENTALS * On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude CLG1 rose 45 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $91.56 a barrel at 8:55 a.m. EST (1355 GMT), trading from $90.79 to $91.74. * Norway's Statoil (STL.OL) said its Snorre and Vigdis oilfields in the North Sea have been restarted after a shutdown early on Tuesday and are expected to reach full capacity on Thursday at earliest. [ID:nOSN004933] * Operators of Alaska's main crude oil pipeline are working to resume flow after receiving government permission to temporarily restart the line. [ID:nL3E7CC0E2] * The second major snow storm of the winter season pelted the U.S. Northeast with heavy snow on Wednesday. [ID:nLDE70B1EL] * U.S. import prices jumped in December as energy costs surged, a sign that, while inflation may be tame domestically, there are plenty of price pressures coming from overseas. [ID:nN11129695] MARKETS * European stocks rose and the euro was steady on Wednesday after Portugal got thrmugh a key bond auction unscathed and on hopes policymakers will boost a rescue fund designed for debt-scarred euro zone countries to tap. [MKTS/GLOB] [FRX/] * Gold rose further above $1,380 an ounce in Europe on a retreat in the dollar, rising oil prices and firm physical interest from Asia. [GOL/] * Copper prices bounced on Wednesday, boosted by expectations of stronger demand from top consumer China and after strong demand at Portugal's bond auction helped the euro to keep its gains against the dollar. [MET/L] UPCOMING DATA/EVENTS * The U.S. Energy Information Administration's government data will follow on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT). * Federal Reserve Beige Book at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT). 8:55 LAST NET PCT LOW HIGH CURRENT DAY AGO CHNG CHNG VOL VOL CLc1 91.56 0.45 0.5% 90.79 91.74 55,675 430,277 CLc2 92.70 0.34 0.4% 91.89 92.82 35,177 233,623 LCOc1 98.04 0.46 0.5% 97.28 98.46 60,103 160,417 RBc1 2.4672 -0.0112 -0.5% 2.4500 2.4791 3,144 47,837 RBc2 2.4827 -0.0074 -0.3% 2.4638 2.4922 3,172 31,478 HOc1 2.6186 0.0098 0.4% 2.6000 2.6236 3,734 59,624 HOc2 2.6213 0.0101 0.4% 2.6024 2.6264 2,508 27,214 * NYMEX crude oil for February CLc1 rose 45 cents to $91.56 a barrel by 8:55 a.m. in volume of 55,711 lots. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; editing by Walter Bagley)

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