World oil prices have again shot up to record highs, reaching nearly 54 dollars a barrel in New York on the back of concerns over tight supplies ahead of winter in the northern hemisphere.

New York's benchmark light sweet crude for delivery in November shot to 53.80 dollars a barrel on Monday – the highest in its 21-year history – before closing at 53.64 dollars, up 33 cents from the previous day.

In London, Brent North Sea crude posted a record high of 50.66 dollars a barrel, up 91 cents.

Market analysts attributed the new record highs to what they called "anemic" production of daily oil in the Gulf of Mexico following damages from Hurricane Ivan and labor strife in oil-rich Nigeria.