“Iran is the biggest guarantor of energy stability and security in the region while the US is the biggest de-stabilizing force in the world’s energy sector.”

Equinor ASA (OSE: EQNR, NYSE EQNR) has agreed with Lundin Petroleum AB to divest a 16 percent shareholding in Lundin Petroleum for a direct interest of 2.6 percent in the Johan Sverdrup field and a cash consideration of around USD 650 million.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were down $0.79 at $56.55 per barrel by 0754 GMT. There was no settlement price on Thursday because of the Independence Day holiday in the United States. Front-month Brent crude futures LCOc1 were down $0.23 at $63.07 per barrel. Both benchmarks were set for their biggest weekly falls in five weeks.

June oil imports from Russia to China were up 31.7% on month from 1.76 million mt in May, hitting a five-month high, and also 124% higher from a year earlier.

China has lifted restrictions on foreign investment in its conventional oil and gas upstream and city gas distribution sectors, in an attempt to boost resource development, and setting the stage to break the monopoly of national oil companies.

Front-month Brent crude futures LCOc1, the international benchmark for oil prices, were down 31 cents or 0.49% at $63.51 per barrel by 1320 GMT. Brent closed up 2.3% on Wednesday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were down 51 cents or 0.89% at $56.83 per barrel. WTI closed up 1.9% on Wednesday.

US crude oil inventories for the week ended June 28, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 1.1 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.

TC Energy Corporation (TSX:TRP) (NYSE:TRP) (TC Energy) announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its U.S. midstream assets held by its subsidiary, Columbia Midstream Group, to UGI Energy Services, LLC, a subsidiary of UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI), for approximately US$1.275 billion (Cdn$1.7 billion). The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019 subject to closing adjustments and customary regulatory approvals.

U.S. Rig Count is down 4 rigs from last week to 963, with oil rigs down 5 to 788, gas rigs up 1 to 174, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1. Canada Rig Count is down 4 rigs from last week to 120, with oil rigs down 4 to 80 and gas rigs unchanged at 40.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 for September delivery were trading up 12 cents, or 0.2%, at $62.52 a barrel, U.S. crude futures for August CLc1 were up 16 cents, or 0.3%, at $56.41 a barrel.