Brent was down 74 cents, or 0.8%, at $88.52 a barrel , WTI slipped 83 cents, or 0.9%, to $87.32.

In a recent twist, Berlin is no longer ruling out shelving the pipeline project. But Europe is currently facing a winter energy crunch. Prices of natural gas have skyrocketed in recent months, and stockpiles in EU countries are at a five-year low.

Already, oil prices have hit seven-year highs in recent days over the ratcheting tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine.

Ukraine, which earns more than Poland from gas transit fees, may have to look at ways to diversify its own supplies and rethink its function in the European gas system. Until it does, it will continue to depend on Russia.

Federal oil exports in January dropped to 3.203 million b/d from 3.277 million b/d in December, according to the ministry figures.

China, the world's biggest greenhouse gases emitter and coal consumer, is expected to add 180 gigawatts (GW) of new power generation capacity from non-fossil fuel sources during 2022, driving total non-fossil fuel capacity to 1,300 GW, according to a report issued by the China Electricity Council (CEC) late on Thursday.

Neom, which will be built along Saudi Arabia's borders with Jordan and just across the narrow Strait of Aqaba from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, is a linchpin of the world's largest oil exporter's plans to diversify its fossil fuels-dominated economy.

Wind generation rose as high as 14,822 megawatts, surpassing the previous record of 14,286 megawatts set in May 2021, according to data from National Grid.

Australia’s largest planned Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is to be built in the New South Wales (NSW) northeast with the state government announcing the New England REZ, which will deliver at least 8 GW of new network capacity, has been formally declared.

The Philippine Department of Energy has initiated a tender for 2,000 MW of renewable capacity, including 1,260 MW of solar, 380 MW of wind, 230 MW of biomass and 130 MW of hydro.