Advanced biofuel made from agricultural waste — the so called Holy Grail of the alternative energy industry — will not be competitive with conventional fuel until the oil is back to $70-$80 per barrel, DuPont has said.

Internal OPEC squabbles are on the rise as members argue about the need to support a fair oil price and boost revenues just as they feel more pain from low crude prices.

Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) reported earnings of $2.0 billion ($1.09 per share – diluted) for third quarter 2015, compared with earnings of $5.6 billion ($2.95 per share – diluted) in the 2014 third quarter. Foreign currency effects increased earnings in the 2015 quarter by $394 million, compared with an increase of $366 million a year earlier.

Exxon Mobil Corporation today announced estimated third quarter 2015 earnings of $4.2 billion, or $1.01 per diluted share, compared with $8.1 billion a year earlier. Significantly lower Upstream realizations more than offset higher Downstream and Chemical earnings.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) reported a third-quarter 2015 net loss of $1.1 billion, or ($0.87) per share, compared with third-quarter 2014 earnings of $2.7 billion, or $2.17 per share. Excluding special items, third-quarter 2015 adjusted earnings were a net loss of $466 million, or ($0.38) per share, compared with third-quarter 2014 adjusted earnings of $1.6 billion, or $1.29 per share. Special items for the current quarter related primarily to the termination of a rig contract for a Gulf of Mexico deepwater drillship, non-cash impairments, restructuring costs and pension settlement expense.

Nabors Industries Ltd. ("Nabors") (NYSE:NBR) reported third-quarter operating revenues of $848 million, compared to $863 million in the second quarter of 2015, and $1.81 billion in the third quarter of last year. The comparable third quarter of last year included $612 million in revenue from Completion and Production Services, a business line that merged with C&J Energy Services on March 24, 2015. The Completion and Production Services business is no longer consolidated with Nabors, and Nabors' results reflect equity-method accounting for this investment on a quarter-lag basis.

Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne, pleased with the results, said in the company press release: “In a context where the oil price has fallen by 50% in one year, Total was able to demonstrate its resilience.” He further added how the integrated model had helped Total to record such results.

National Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NYSE: NOV) today reported that for its third quarter ended September 30, 2015, it earned net income of $155 million, or $0.41 per fully diluted share, compared to second quarter ended June 30, 2015 net income of $289 million, or $0.74 per fully diluted share. Excluding other items and non-recurring charges from all periods, third quarter net income was $232 million, or $0.61 per fully diluted share, compared to $0.77 in the second quarter of 2015 and $1.62 in the third quarter of 2014. Third quarter 2015 other items were $55 million in pre-tax intangible asset impairment charges and $57 million in pre-tax severance, facility closure, and other charges.

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) today announced its financial and operating results for the third quarter of 2015, including a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $2.235 billion, or $4.41 per share (diluted). These results include certain items typically excluded by the investment community in published estimates, which in aggregate decreased net income by $1.877 billion or $3.69 per share (diluted), on an after-tax basis. Net cash flow from operating activities in the third quarter of 2015 was $1.127 billion, and discretionary cash flow from operations totaled $979 million.

Royal Dutch Shell’s third quarter 2015 earnings, on a current cost of supplies (CCS) basis, were a loss of $6.1 billion compared with a gain of $5.3 billion for the same quarter a year ago.