NEW YORK, NY — Oil prices climbed yesterday on expectations that China’s economy — and its appetite for petroleum — will continue to grow in 2012.

Benchmark crude rose by 93 cents to finish at US $102.24 ($8,762) per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price foreign oil varieties that are imported by US refineries, rose 83 cents to end at $113.28 a barrel in London.

Prices rose after China said oil imports grew 6 per cent in December, compared to a year earlier. China is the world’s second-biggest oil consumer behind the US. Strong demand for oil in China will likely help support higher global crude prices in 2012.

Manufacturers are looking to China and other emerging economies for strong growth this year. Aluminum maker Alcoa on Monday was the first major US company to report fourth-quarter earnings. Although it posted a loss, Alcoa offered a bullish outlook for the year, expecting strong demand from China.

Energy commodities are “being turbo charged by US economic optimism,” independent analyst Jim Ritterbusch said.

Investors were also reassured by measures to address Europe’s debt problems after credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings said it won’t downgrade France this year. A downgrade would have made it more expensive for France to raise cash to deal with the crisis.

Elsewhere, the security of world oil supplies remained a major concern for oil traders.

Nigeria, a top oil supplier to the US, has been embroiled in widespread protests and violence following the government’s decision to end subsidies, more than doubling the price of gasoline. Nigeria exported about 857,000 barrels per day of oil to the US in 2011, supplying nearly 5 per cent of the country’s demand, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Iran still threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf if the U.S. and other countries impose more sanctions on its nuclear program. Although experts doubt Iran could try a blockade without swift military intervention from the US, any supply shortages this year would further squeeze oil markets at a time when they’re already falling behind world demand.

The EIA said yesterday that it expects the US and other nations will be forced to dip deeper into spare petroleum supplies later this year. EIA’s monthly outlook predicted that world demand will grow by 1.5 per cent this year and by another 1.7 per cent in 2013.

EIA predicted that oil prices will rise to an average of $100.25 per barrel this year and to $103.75 in 2013.

MasterCard SpendingPulse said Tuesday that American drivers continued to buy less gasoline last week with prices at the highest level ever for this time of year. Its survey of consumer spending showed that demand was down 3.3 per cent as of January 6, when compared with the same period last year.

In other energy trading in New York, natural gas prices fell 7 cents to finish at $2.94 per 1,000 cubic feet. Prices have declined this year as analysts predict that US supplies will be more than ample after a mild winter that’s cut into heating demand.

Natural gas is beginning 2012 at the cheapest level in a decade, comparing with the start of previous years. Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts cut their price forecasts for natural gas by $1 to an average of $3.30 per 1,000 cubic feet in 2012.

“As a result of a warm winter and rampant production growth, we are now starting the new gas year with historically high storage levels and an incredible supply glut,” Bank of America analyst Sabine Schels said.

Heating oil rose by 3 cents to end at $3.10 per gallon and gasoline futures rose 1 cent to finish at $2.77 per gallon.