U.S. crude oil production increased for the second consecutive month in November 2016, the first consecutive monthly increase since April 2015.

U.S. oil production will up 80 tbd, gas production will up 524 mcfd.

U.S. Rig Count is up 200 rigs from last year's count of 541, with oil rigs up 152, gas rigs up 47, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 130 rigs from last year's count of 222, with oil rigs up 89 and gas rigs up 41.

Now the human drama watch begins; will Putin cave in to the demands of the West to renounce his allies in exchange for the improved relation and the dropping of sanctions?

But Lee said that South Korean demand for LNG would keep falling in the short-term due to increased electricity output from nuclear and coal-fired power plants. The country is the world's second-biggest LNG importer after Japan.

China is committed to having talks with the parties directly involved, and in accordance with historical facts and international law to peacefully resolve the issue, and that position will not change, Wang said.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that the goods and services deficit was $44.3 billion in December, down $1.5 billion from $45.7 billion in November, revised. December exports were $190.7 billion, $5.0 billion more than November exports. December imports were $235.0 billion, $3.6 billion more than November imports.

Oil and gas extraction jobs increased by 100 to 177,400 in January, while support services jobs increased by 600 to 195,200 in December, its second increase in a row, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.

Japan is putting together a package of plans for Japanese companies to invest in infrastructure and job-creation projects in the United States. Japan is the world's biggest buyer of the gas cooled to liquid form for transport on ships and takes in nearly a third of global shipments.

U.S. Rig Count is up 158 rigs from last year's count of 571, with oil rigs up 116, gas rigs up 41, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 101 rigs from last year's count of 242, with oil rigs up 66 and gas rigs up 35.