Oil prices flat before EIA report

Oil prices steadied Tuesday, a day before the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is scheduled to release a report on U.S. crude supplies.

The Energy Department's statistical arm will release its report covering U.S. crude supplies of last week on Wednesday. Analysts expected a drop of 1 million barrels of U.S. crude inventories for last week.

Traders are also closely eyeing the development in Ukraine and Libya.

The uncertainties of Ukraine pose a big threat to the oil market as most Russian crude and gas exports to Europe pass through Ukraine. A possible halt of Russian crude and natural gas supplies through Ukraine supported the crude prices.

An oil exporting port in Libya is projected to open after the government approved the salary increase for guards. Libya has become the smallest producer in OPEC during the past year as unrest disrupted output and shipments.

On the U.S. economic front, the most closely-watched data of this week is the Labor Department's non-farm payroll report for May due out Friday. Analysts expect U.S. unemployment rate to edge up to 6.4 percent in May from a five-and-a-half-year low of 6.3 percent in April.

Light, sweet crude for July delivery moved up 19 cents to settle at 102.66 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for July delivery lost 1 cent to close at 108.82 dollars a barrel.