PLATTS - As a result, demand for OPEC crude will average 32.86 million b/d in 2018, the organization calculated.

PLATTS - Saudi Arabia's commitment to the OPEC-led production output cut deal was confirmed with reduced exports to key Asian outlets in 2017, but Japanese imports of Saudi crude jumped to the highest level in 35 years as the kingdom also maintained its flexibility to meet demand whenever there is a need. Japan's crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose 9.5% year on year to 1.295 million b/d in 2017, or 40.1% of total imports in the year, and the country's imports of Saudi crude in 2017 were the highest since 1982, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry data.

EIA - Crude oil production from the major US onshore regions is forecast to increase 110,000 b/d month-over-month in March to 6,756 million b/d, gas production to increase 832 million cubic feet/day to 64,941 million cubic feet/day .

REUTERS - Brent crude futures were at $63.42 per barrel at 0250 GMT, up 63 cents, or 1 percent, from the previous close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $59.83 a barrel. That was up 63 cents, or 1.1 percent, from their last settlement.

PLATTS - Congress early Friday approved a two-year budget agreement which mandates the sale of 100 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve within a decade and authorizes sales of another $350 million of government-owned crude this fiscal year.

REUTERS - A consortium led by India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) (ONGC.NS) has become the first group to win a stake in Abu Dhabi National Oil Co’s (ADNOC) 40-year offshore oil concession, a deal set to help the UAE expand its foothold in Asia.

REUTERS - “The Ministry maintains that the Norwegian rules on reimbursement of exploration costs and interest on carry forward of losses ... do not constitute state aid under Article 61 of the EEA Agreement, and are therefore in compliance with the EEA (European Economic Area) law,” the ministry said in a letter.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 29 rigs from last week to 975, with oil rigs up 26 to 791, gas rigs up 3 to 184, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged. Canada Rig Count is down 17 rigs from last week to 325, with oil rigs down 13 to 221 and gas rigs down 4 to 104.

REUTERS - Brent futures were down 44 cents or 0.7 percent, at $64.37 a barrel by around 0700 GMT. On Thursday, Brent fell 1.1 percent to its lowest close since Dec. 20. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 62 cents, or 1 percent, at $60.53 a barrel, having settled down 1 percent in the previous session at its lowest close since Jan. 2.

EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average about $62/b in both 2018 and 2019 compared with an average of $54/b in 2017. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices to average $4/b lower than Brent prices in both 2018 and 2019.