The decline in December comes as OPEC, which controls around 40 percent of global supply, is planning to curb output in a bid to boost oil prices. The organization reached a historic deal last month with Russia and other non-members to cut global production by almost 1.8 million barrels a day starting this month.

Russia produced over 650bn m³ of gas in 2016, about 0.6% more than the previous year, the statistics of the Central Dispatching Department of Fuel Energy Complex (CDU TEK) indicate. A Russian cubic metre of gas contains about 10% less energy than a standard cubic metre owing to the higher temperature it is measured at.

U.S. Rig Count is down 40 rigs from last year's count of 698, with oil rigs down 11, gas rigs down 30, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 74 rigs from last year's count of 83, with oil rigs up 40, gas rigs up 29, and miscellaneous rigs up 5.

В 2017 году цена на нефть будет в диапазоне 55 - долларов за баррель.

U.S. benchmark West Texas intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 23 cents to $54.00 at 0746 GMT. Brent front-month March crude oil futures rose 31 cents to $57.16.

U.S. light crude was down 20 cents at $53.86 by 0930 GMT (4:30 a.m. ET), while North Sea Brent crude was up 5 cents at $56.27 a barrel.

The analysts predicting that Brent will average $58 a barrel next year expect $53 in the first quarter and $56 in the second. West Texas Intermediate will be about $1.40 cheaper than Brent in 2017, the estimates show. WTI settled at $53.90 in New York on Tuesday.

China aims to raise the ratio of non-fossil fuel consumption to 14.3 percent in 2017, while cutting the ratio of coal to 60 percent.

If oil passes $70 a barrel, the U.S. could start pumping out an extra million barrels a day, offsetting much of the planned cut from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, according to a Citigroup Inc. analysis.

U.S. shale drillers are set to ramp up spending on exploration and production next year as recovering oil prices prompt banks to extend credit lines for the first time in two years.