At 427.8 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are at the 5-year average for this time of year

TechnipFMC plc (NYSE: FTI) (Paris: FTI) announced its Board of Directors has unanimously approved its plan to separate into two industry-leading, independent, publicly traded companies: RemainCo, a fully-integrated technology and services provider, continuing to drive energy development; and SpinCo, a leading engineering and construction (E&C) player, poised to capitalize on the global energy transition.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 climbed 59 cents, or 1.0%, to $60.10 a barrel by 0652 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 gained 70 cents, or 1.3%, to $55.63 a barrel.

The JMMC noted the overall conformity of 159% in July 2019 was 22 pp higher than in June 2019, and the average conformity of 134% since January 2019 was the highest to date in 2019. This high level of overall conformity has offset uncertainty in the market due to ongoing economic growth worries.

China's crude oil imports from Iran rose 4.7% month on month to 926,119 b/d in July, while the US ranked as the eighth largest crude supplier as shipments surged to a 13-month high of 362,364 b/d,

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a sea route chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. Most exports of petroleum and natural gas from the Persian Gulf that transit the Suez Canal or the SUMED Pipeline pass through both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.

BP announced that it has agreed to sell its entire business in Alaska to Hilcorp Alaska, based in Anchorage, Alaska. Under the terms of the agreement, Hilcorp will purchase all of BP's interests in the state for a total consideration of $5.6 billion.

Brent was up 38 cents, or 0.64%, at $59.72 a barrel, WTI was up 54 cents, or 1%, at $54.71 a barrel.

“This escalation of the U.S.- China trade war is another step in the wrong direction, the consequences of which will be felt by American businesses and families,” said Kyle Isakower, API’s Vice President of Regulatory and Economic Policy. “In addition to the impacts on the U.S. economy and jobs, U.S. energy leadership and global competitiveness are threatened as U.S. natural gas and oil exports continue to serve as targets for retaliation.”

China has announced a 5% tariff on imported US crude oil in retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s recent escalation of the countries’ trade war.

Dubai and China have expressed keenness to enhance cooperation in energy-related areas, especially clean and renewable energy.

Nigeria's oil production hovered around 2.2 million b/d in the first week of August, compared with around 1.92 million b/d a year ago.

Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) affirmed the Ba2 corporate family rating of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - PETROBRAS (Petrobras). Simultaneously, Moody's raised the company's baseline credit assessment (BCA) to ba2 from ba3. The actions were triggered by the company's continued success in improving its credit metrics and liquidity position. The rating outlook is stable.

Brent rose 29 cents, or 0.5%, to $60.21 a barrel, WTI were at $55.53 a barrel, up 18 cents, or 0.3%.

members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) earned almost $711 billion in net oil export revenues in 2018