API announced that estimated total wells drilled and completed in the second quarter of 2017 increased 62 percent compared to the second quarter of 2016. This includes a 41 percent increase in estimated development gas well completions and a dramatic 81 percent increase in total estimated oil well completions from year-ago levels. Total estimated oil well completions also increased 19 percent from the first quarter of 2017. Growing well completion figures could lead to an increase in U.S. oil production, which rose 62 percent from 2010 to 2016, and U.S. natural gas production which, also increased 26 percent during the same time.

U.S. Rig Count is up 505 rigs from last year's count of 447, with oil rigs up 408, gas rigs up 98, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0. Canadian Rig Count is up 96 rigs from last year's count of 95, with oil rigs up 62, gas rigs up 35, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0.

Preliminary production figures for June 2017 show an average daily production of 1 884 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is a decrease of 116 000 barrels per day compared to May.

Brent crude oil prices are forecast to average $51/b in 2017 and $52/b in 2018. Average West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are forecast to be $2/b lower than the Brent price in both 2017 and 2018. Henry Hub natural gas spot prices are forecast to average $3.10 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2017 and $3.40/MMBtu in 2018.

"Russia is among the leading energy countries today. We see colossal unrealized potential for cooperation, for investment -- we will continue working on implementing it with all the interested parties," Novak said.

Total energy investment worldwide in 2016 was just over $1.7 trillion, accounting for 2.2% of global GDP. Investment was down by 12% compared to IEA’s revised 2015 energy investment estimate of $1.9 trillion.

“Saudi Aramco plans to invest more than $300 billion over the coming decade to reinforce our preeminent position in oil, maintain our spare oil production capacity and pursue a large exploration and production program centered on conventional and unconventional gas resources.”

“If you connect the dots, it is clear that Russia is funding US environmental groups in an effort to suppress our domestic oil and gas industry, specifically hydraulic fracturing,” Committee Chairman LaMar Smith (Tex.) said on July 7 as he released a letter he and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber (Tex.) sent to Mnuchin.

U.S. Rig Count is up 512 rigs from last year's count of 440, with oil rigs up 412, gas rigs up 101, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0. Canadian Rig Count is up 94 rigs from last year's count of 81, with oil rigs up 68, gas rigs up 27, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0.

The August light, sweet crude contract on NYMEX dropped $1.94 on July 5 to settle at $45.13/bbl. The September contract was down $1.95 to close at $45.34/bbl. The NYMEX natural gas price for August declined 11¢ to a rounded $2.84/MMbtu. The Henry Hub cash gas price was $2.90/MMbtu on July 5, down 4¢ from June 30, the last available price for the US gas spot price. The Brent crude contract for September on London’s ICE decreased $1.82 to $47.79/bbl while the October contract dropped $1.83 to $48.07/bbl. The July gas oil contract was down $6.75 to $442.25/tonne. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ basket of crudes on July 5 was $47.04/bbl, down 53¢.