Crude prices extended gains on Monday in Asia, supported by comments from the Saudi energy minister saying the oil market is heading towards balance. 

London Brent crude for September delivery was up 17 cents at $50.52 a barrel by 2247 GMT on Sunday, after settling up 64 cents at $50.35 on Friday.

NYMEX crude for August delivery was up 5 cents at $49.04 a barrel, after closing up 66 cents, or 1.4 %, on Friday. There will be no West Texas Intermediate crude settlement on Monday as U.S. financial and commodity markets are closed for the Independence Day holiday. 

U.S. drillers last week added oil rigs for a fourth week in five, according to a closely followed report Friday, in the best month of producers returning to the well pad since August that signalled a near-two year rout in drilling may have ended.

Russian oil output stood at 10.84 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, up from 10.83 bpd in May, Energy Ministry data showed on Saturday. 

U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to June 28, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday.