NOVATEK - Profit attributable to shareholders of PAO NOVATEK decreased to RR 156.4 billion (RR 51.85 per share), or by 39.3%, as compared to 2016.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 3 rigs from last week at 978, with oil rigs up 1 to 799, gas rigs up 2 at 179, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged. Canada Rig Count is down 12 rigs from last week to 306, with oil rigs down 9 to 209 and gas rigs down 3 to 97.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - Александр Новак поделился своим видением будущего углеводородной энергетики: «Она обладает огромным потенциалом цифровизации своих процессов, гибкой подстройки под нужды потребителей. Доля углеводородов, безусловно, будет снижаться, но с учетом роста населения, автопарка, спроса на энергию, абсолютное потребление продолжит расти. Если мы хотим надежно обеспечить мир энергией, нам придется найти разумный баланс между традиционной и новой энергетикой».

BP announced the start of gas production from the Atoll Phase One project, offshore Egypt. The project, in the North Damietta concession in the East Nile Delta, was delivered seven months ahead of schedule and 33% below the initial cost estimate.

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 - “Europe completely miscalculated when they assumed that they won’t need much additional gas and if they need some it can be supplied from outside Russia,” Medvedev, who looks after exports for the world’s top gas producer and exporter, said.

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 - India’s push to more than double the share natural gas has in its energy mix to 15 percent by 2022 will require a huge increase in imports and the construction of more LNG terminals, a government official said on Wednesday.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - The worldwide rig count for February 2018 was 2,271, up 96 from the 2,175 counted in January 2018, and up 244 from the 2,027 counted in February 2017.