* Analysts expect drawdown in U.S. crude, distillate stocks
* Warmer weather to return to snow-slammed US Northeast
* Dollar falls to seven-week low against yen
* Coming up: U.S. EIA inventory data, 1600 GMT (Releads, updates prices)
By Randy Fabi
SINGAPORE, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Oil rose further above $91 on Thursday, ahead of U.S. weekly inventory data expected to show a drawdown in crude stocks for the fourth consecutive week due to an abnormally icy winter.
U.S. crude for February delivery
ICE Brent crude
"The oil market continues to alternate small gains with small declines, as prices idle quietly on light between-holiday volume," said Timothy Evans, energy analyst at Citi Futures Perspective.
The oil market may get the impetus it needs to break through its trading range with the release of the U.S. Energy Information Administration fuel stocks report later on Thursday.
Analysts expected a 2.6 million-barrel drop in crude inventories last week, which would be the fourth straight drawdown in the world's largest oil user.
Gasoline stocks were forecast up 1.4 million barrels, while distillates fell 600,000 barrels, a Reuters poll found.
Industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) confounded analysts expectations on Wednesday by reporting a 3.1 million-barrel rise in crude, while gasoline supplies dropped 3.1 million barrels in the week to Dec. 24. Distillates rose 1.4 million barrels.
"The API data is certainly known to be more volatile than the more definitive EIA report, so we would wait to see those numbers before making any big decisions," Evans said.
WEAKER DOLLAR, WARMER WEATHER
Oil prices were supported by a weaker dollar, which hit a seven-week low against the yen and a 28-year trough against the commodities-linked Australian currency after traders took falls in U.S. bond yields as a cue to sell the greenback.
Oil and dollar-denominated commodities often move inversely to the dollar. A weaker U.S. currency typically lifts oil prices as it lowers the value of dollars paid to producers while making it less expensive for oil consumers using other currencies.
Bullish sentiment was limited by forecasts for warmer weather this weekend in the U.S. Northeast, which would curb fuel demand in the world's top heating oil market. The region was slammed by one of the worst blizzards on record over the Christmas holiday.
Technicals indicated oil prices may surge to $92.50 after ending its consolidation period. [ID:nL3E6NU00B]
For a 24-hour technical outlook on oil:
http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/WT/20103012082332.jpg (Editing by Himani Sarkar)