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LONDON, Jan 17 Reuters Oil prices edged up on Friday, heading for a fourth consecutive week of gains, as the latest U.S. sanctions on Russian energy trade heightened expectations for oil supply disruptions.

Brent crude futures were trading up 30 cents or 0.4 higher at 81.59 per barrel by 0923 GMT, having gained 2.3 so far this week.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 41 cents or 0.5 at 79.09 a barrel, having climbed 3.3 for the week.

Last Friday, the Biden administration unveiled broader sanctions targeting Russian oil producers and tankers.

Supply concerns from U.S. sanctions on Russian oil producers and tankers, combined with expectations of a demand recovery driven by potential U.S. interest rate cuts, are bolstering the crude market, said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities.

The anticipated increase in kerosene demand due to cold weather in the United States is another supportive factor.

Investors are also anxiously waiting to see if more supply disruptions will emerge after Donald Trump returns to the White House next Monday.

Mounting supply risks continue to provide broad support to oil prices, ING analysts wrote in a research note, adding that the new Trump administration is expected to take a tough stance on Iran and Venezuela, the two main…