Oil prices were steady as ongoing tensions in the Middle East and news that another British oil worker in Nigeria has been kidnapped continued to support the market. But support for prices was capped by profit-taking after last week's sharp price hikes and by weekend news that the 18-day strike at the Fos-Lavera oil terminal in France had come to an end. At 11.14 am, London Brent crude for May delivery was up 21 cents cents at 68.31 usd per barrel, while New York crude for May delivery was down 29 cents at 65.58 usd. May Brent crude added almost 4 usd per barrel in the course of last week, largely on worries over key oil producer Iran's seizure of 15 British seamen in the Persian Gulf. The servicemen, who remain in Iran, were accused of having strayed into Iranian waters, a charge denied by the British government. Britain and Iran said yesterday they were engaged in direct talks over the detainees. In his first statement on the crisis, US President George W Bush yesterday described the seizure as "inexcusable behaviour" and demanded the servicemen's release. The ongoing stand-off has raised fears oil supplies from the Middle East could be disrupted. Iran is the world's fourth-largest crude producer and controls the strategically important Straits of Hormuz, through which around 20 pct of the world's oil is trafficked daily. Any further impetus to the standoff is seen boosting prices, analysts said. "Currently diplomatic efforts have reached a stalemate and any ratcheting up of pressure in this arena is likely to be met with further encroachments on the 70 usd/bbl mark," noted Bank of Ireland analyst Paul Harris. However in the absence of fresh news analysts believe the strong oil rally sparked by the crisis has reached its limit for the time being.