* U.S. crude inventories drop for 6th straight week

* Alaskan pipeline resumes partial oil flows

* Commodity gains stir economic concerns

* Coming up: US weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m EST Thurs (Recasts, updates prices, market activity to settlement)

NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Oil rose on Wednesday after production shutdowns, falling U.S. inventories and growing demand sent Brent crude toward $100 a barrel for the first time since 2008.

U.S. government data showing U.S. crude stocks falling for a sixth straight week helped extend this week's gains.Disruptions from Alaska and Norway stoked supply concerns and cold weather in the U.S. Northeast fed demand for heating oil. [EIA/S]