BLOOMBERG - Russia's oil output is currently fluctuating between 1.54 million and 1.55 million tons a day -- driven mainly by state-run giant Rosneft PJSC -- the official said, asking not to be named as the information isn’t public yet. That equates to 11.29 million to 11.36 million barrels a day, beating the previous record of 11.25 million barrels a day set in October 2016 before Russia agreed with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production.

SHANA - What is common in oil market is that no price levels could be forecast for the future there. Only its unpredictability is predictable. Rarely may you find an expert to say with full certainty in which direction oil prices are headed.

PLATTS - 1.4 million b/d of Iranian oil supplies to leave the market by November, when the US sanctions go into force. Venezuela, which pumped 1.22 million b/d in August could see output fall to 1 million b/d in 2019. Politically unstable Libya also presents a supply risk.

SHANA - Iran’s Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh said the Joint OPEC/Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) is not legally competent to make decisions about adjustment of production quotas.

U.S. EIA - Second-quarter 2018 financial results for 45 U.S. oil exploration and production companies that the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) regularly tracks reveal that most companies increased their capital expenditure budgets for 2018 compared with initial budgets made at the beginning of the year.

U.S. EIA - Energy companies’ free cash flow—the difference between cash from operations and capital expenditure—was $119 billion for the four quarters ending June 30, 2018, the largest four-quarter sum during 2013–18 Companies reduced debt for seven consecutive quarters, contributing to the lowest long-term debt-to-equity ratio since third-quarter 2014

OPEC - Total oil demand for 2018 is now estimated at 98.82 mb/d. In 2019, world oil demand growth is forecast to rise by 1.41 mb/d. Total world oil demand in 2019 is now projected to surpass 100 mb/d for the first time and reach 100.23 mb/d.

ARAB NEWS - Oil exports from southern Iraq are heading for a record high this month, two industry sources said, adding to signs that OPEC’s second-largest producer is following through on a deal to raise supply and local unrest is not affecting shipments.

REUTERS -Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 2 cents at $79.05 a barrel by 0854 GMT, having gained 1.3 percent on Tuesday following media reports that Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, was comfortable with prices above $80. U.S. crude futures CLc1 were up 15 cents at $70.00, after gaining 1.4 percent the day before.

PLATTS - Current global oil prices at around $70-80/b are due to the volatile situation on the market and include a premium for risks associated with sanctions and oil supply cuts, but they are expected to fall to around $50/b in the long term, Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said Tuesday.