Sri Lanka, Dec. 22 -- Oil prices gained on Monday in early Asian trading hours after the U.S. intercepted a Venezuelan oil tanker over the weekend.

The U.S. is also pursuing another tanker, officials told Reuters on Sunday, in what would be the third such operation in less than two weeks if it succeeds.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 34 cents, or 0.6%, at $56.86 per barrel as of GMT 2323.

The US Coast Guard is in "active pursuit" of another vessel in international waters near Venezuela as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

Sunday's pursuit related to a "sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion", a US official said. "It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure or...