Crude oil prices closed higher in futures market on Thursday, adding to the previous session's advance on upbeat U.S. inventory data, but the commodity is still expected to face a bumpy ride in coming days ahead of an important OPEC meeting in Vienna to extend production limits.

Light sweet crude oil (WTI) futures went up 0.28 dollar or 0.57 percent to close at USD 49.35 a barrel at the New York-based commodity exchange NYMEX.

Brent crude oil futures rose 0.30 dollar or 0.57 percent to close at USD 52.51 a barrel at NYMEX. WTI-Brent spread was stable on May-2017.

Natural gas futures remained flat at 3.182 a gallon at the NYMEX. RBOB gasoline futures remained flat at 1.606 a gallon at the NYMEX.

In refined products, RBOB heating oil futures remained flat at 1.545 a gallon at the NYMEX.