LONDON, Feb 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices surged to new record highs this week, smashing through the $100 a barrel barrier and beyond as more supply disruptions and a fire at a British gas import terminal shook an already jittery European energy market.

Brent crude oil hit a high of $101.27 and U.S. light crude soared to an all time high of $103.05 on Friday, above the inflation-adjusted high of $102.53 hit in 1980, as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries looked set to rebuff calls for more oil when it meets in Vienna next week.

Supply problems in major exporter Nigeria and the shutdown of a pipeline in OPEC-member Ecuador added further bullish pressure to global oil markets which some analysts say are also being supported as the plunging U.S. dollar encourages investors to pour money into commodities as a hedge against inflation.

Nervous oil markets were shaken again on Thursday evening by a big fire at Shell's North Sea gas import terminal in Britain, Europe's biggest gas market, which slashed supplies of the heating fuel by about 10 percent and sent spot UK gas prices up over 17 percent at one point. Although one of the two pipelines feeding into the terminal resumed flows into Britain's network at around midday on Friday, there was still no indication from Shell when the other pipeline might reopen, which helped support UK gas prices as cooler weather threatened to spread across the country.

Although other import pipelines and storage stepped up supplies to compensate, concern over the Bacton terminal pushed the working days of next week up by 3.25 pence to 56.00 pence per therm and March contracts up 2.50 pence to 54.50.

Benchmark gas oil futures also climbed to record highs, boosted by low stocks and upcoming refinery maintenance.

Gasoline prices remained weak with stocks in the Amsterdam Rotterdam Antwerp refining hub hitting a new record high this week.

Rising inventories in the United States are expected to limit the demand for European gasoline from the United States, the world's top gasoline consumer.

POWER RISES

European power forwards hit new highs early on Friday due to stronger oil, with the benchmark German Cal '09 baseload contract hitting a new record high of 65.15 euros ($98.40) a megawatt hour.

The French Cal '09 baseload contract also hit a new high of 65.90 euros/MWh early in the last session of the week.

As Europe's top exporter of electricity, rising French power prices can influence power prices in bordering markets, including Britain which is connected to it by subsea cable.

Even carbon emissions prices rose on Friday after easing for most of the week, with prices for December 2008 up 19 cents at 21.35 euros.

COAL FIRMS

Physical coal prices firmed gradually through the week from around $145.00 a tonne CIF/DES ARA on Monday to $149.50 a tonne on Friday. Benchmark South African prices also rose from around $114.00 a tonne FOB Richards Bay on Monday to close to $120.00 a tonne on Friday.

Strong global demand and increasingly tight supply because of production problems in major exporters South Africa and Australia continued to pressure prices.