EIA - China surpassed South Korea to become the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2017, according to data from IHS Markit and official Chinese government statistics. Chinese imports of LNG averaged 5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017, exceeded only by Japanese imports of 11 Bcf/d. Imports of LNG by China, driven by government policies designed to reduce air pollution, increased by 1.6 Bcf/d (46%) in 2017, with monthly imports reaching 7.8 Bcf/d in December.

GAZPROM - The parties discussed the prospects for bilateral cooperation, including the potential for supplying LNG from the Gazprom Group’s portfolio to Pakistan, as well as collaborating in hydrocarbon exploration and production in the country.

PLATTS - The Trump administration will not certify the Iran nuclear deal, US Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday, increasing the likelihood of re-imposition of US sanctions on international sales of Iranian crude.

EIA - U.S. uranium concentrate production totaled 2.44 million pounds in 2017, down 16% from 2016 and the lowest annual total since 2.28 million pounds of uranium concentrate was produced in 2004. Domestic concentrate production peaked at 43.7 million pounds in 1980 but has remained lower than 5 million pounds annually since 1997.

U.S. DT - The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced the largest North Korea-related sanctions tranche to date, aimed at disrupting North Korean shipping and trading companies and vessels to further isolate the regime and advance the U.S. maximum pressure campaign.

REUTERS - “We have to expect significant swings in coming years ... We have to expect value swings of more than 900 billion crowns ($114.93 billion),” Yngve Slyngstad told a news conference.

NPD - Preliminary production figures for January 2018 show an average daily production of 2 019 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is an increase of 89 000 barrels per day compared to December.

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.

REUTERS - Oil production rose to 1.91 million barrels a day (mbpd) in the last quarter of 2017 compared with 1.76 mbpd in the same period of 2016, the statistics office said.

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.