tensions@

TOKYO, July 11 (Reuters) - U.S. oil futures hit their highest in over a month on Thursday as a potential hurricane threatened crude output in the Gulf of Mexico and as an incident involving a British tanker in the Middle East highlighted ongoing tensions there.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 11 cents at $60.54 a barrel by 0055 GMT, after earlier touching the highest since May 23 at $60.63. They gained 4.5% in the previous session.

Brent crude futures were down 5 cents, or 0.1%, at $66.96 a barrel, after ending Wednesday up 4.4%.

Fifteen production platforms and four rigs were evacuated in the north central Gulf of Mexico, according to a U.S. regulator as oil firms moved workers to safety ahead of a storm expected to become a hurricane by Friday.

Operations at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the only U.S. port where the largest crude tankers can load and unload, were normal on Wednesday morning, a spokeswoman said.

"Imports down, exports likely up and refinery utilization at yearly highs," he said.

(Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Joseph Radford)