NYMEX crude seesaws amid choppy dollar, Brazil

*Petrobras strike in Brazil provides support

*Dollar bounce earlier pressured crude

*Energy markets eye low pressure system

NEW YORK, July 14 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures edged lower on Monday in choppy trading as a strike in Brazil and the possibility of another tropical depression forming helped lift crude after a bounce by the dollar had pressured it.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 11:17 a.m. EDT (1517 GMT), August crude CLQ8 was down 48 cents, or 0.33 percent, at $144.60 a barrel, trading from $142.49 to $146.37.

Front-month NYMEX crude hit a record $147.27 on Friday.

In London, August Brent crude LCOQ8 was down 54 cents, or 0.37 percent, at $143.95 a barrel, trading from $142.25 to $145.45.

Mike Fitzpatrick, vice president at MF Global, noting resilient crude, wrote in a note that, "with the housing market collapsing, and confidence in credit and equity markets shaken, about the only thing investors feel confident about is the increasing value of agricultural, industrial and energy commodities."

Energy markets eyed a low pressure system about 1,300 miles east of the Lesser Antilles that showed signs of organization and may develop into a tropical depression, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. [ID:nN14411773]

Oil workers at Brazil's Petrobras (PETR4.SA) (PBR.N) halted output at most of the main fields in the Campos basin at the outset of a planned five-day strike. [ID:nN14359796]

The U.S. dollar surrendered gains on Monday after U.S. stocks eased with government sponsored entities Fannie Mae (FNM.N) and Freddie Mac (FRE.N) paring their advance on concerns Washington's rescue plan won't be enough. [USD]

The loading rate at Iraq's main oil export terminal at Basra fell to 1.1 million barrels per day, down from around 1.7 million bpd on Sunday, a shipping source said. [ID:nL14578001]

Traders remained concerned about possible supply disruptions from Nigeria, where militants abandoned a cease-fire, and from Iran amid tensions with Israel and the West over Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran's missile testing last week helped send crude to its record above $147 ahead of the weekend.

Refined products futures also were choppy on Monday.

August RBOB RBQ8 was down 1.22 cents, or 0.34 percent, at $3.5510 per gallon, trading from $3.5114 to $3.5962. RBOB hit a NYMEX record $3.6310 on Friday.

August heating oil HOQ8 was up 0.31 cent, or 0.08 percent, to $4.0797 a gallon, trading from $4.0132 to $4.12. It hit a record $4.1586 on Friday.

The heating oil crack spread <0#CL-HO=R> was at $26.47, after ending Friday at $26.14. The RBOB crack spread <0#RB-CL=R> was at $4.28 after ending Friday at $4.28. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons)