The Worldwide Rig Count for December was 1,834, down 56 from the 1,890 counted in November 2022,and up 271, from the 1,563 counted in December 2021.

Dutch front-month futures, the European gas benchmark traded 2% higher at to €66.30 per megawatt-hour by 12 p.m. in Amsterdam. The UK equivalent contract also rose. German power for next month increased 2.3% to €166 per megawatt-hour.

The deals come as Japan’s government is reevaluating how it can enhance energy security in the face of a fuel crunch at home. Global LNG supply is slated to remain tight for years, which threatens to increase import costs and add to rising inflation.

U.S. Rig Count is up 3 from last week to 779, Canada Rig Count is down 103 from last week to 96

"The TTF month-ahead settlement price for derivatives is by far the most widely used benchmark in gas supply contracts across the EU, followed by maturities of two-month ahead and year ahead," it states.

Russian sales of LNG doubled from a year earlier to 852,000 tons in November, despite a 5.4% decline in China’s total purchases of the super-chilled fuel, according to Chinese customs data.

Dutch front-month futures, Europe’s gas benchmark were down 1.3% at €114 a megawatt-hour at 8:51 a.m. in Amsterdam.

Russia's war against Ukraine that started in February has exacerbated gas prices. But the excesses of the TTF had already been detected before, with rises of more than 700% in 2021.

The deepwater Nargis block is located off the city of Arish on the Sinai Peninsula. It is one of four offshore exploration blocks off Egypt’s coast in which the US group Chevron holds operating interests, alongside with the Egyptian oil company Tharwa Petroleum.

U.S. Rig Count is down 4 from last week to 776, Canada Rig Count is down 3 from last week to 199.