REUTERS - Brent futures were down 44 cents or 0.7 percent, at $64.37 a barrel by around 0700 GMT. On Thursday, Brent fell 1.1 percent to its lowest close since Dec. 20. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 62 cents, or 1 percent, at $60.53 a barrel, having settled down 1 percent in the previous session at its lowest close since Jan. 2.

МИНЭКОНОМРАЗВИТИЯ - «Для исключения ситуации, при которой электроэнергетическая отрасль может стать фактором, замедляющим экономический рост, необходимо разработать программу глубокой модернизации генерирующих мощностей», – отметил замминистра. По его мнению, данная программа позволит обновить основные фонды объектов генерации, что положительно скажется на качестве и надежности энергоснабжения потребителей, а также повысит технологическую эффективность генерирующих объектов и обеспечит заказами предприятия отечественного энергомашиностроения.

EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average about $62/b in both 2018 and 2019 compared with an average of $54/b in 2017. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices to average $4/b lower than Brent prices in both 2018 and 2019.

TWA - The Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG projects are now enjoying cash margins of more than $US30 a barrel at a $US50 price, Chevron says, and production from the $111 billion mega-projects is expected to increase this year.

REUTERS - India’s push to more than double the share natural gas has in its energy mix to 15 percent by 2022 will require a huge increase in imports and the construction of more LNG terminals, a government official said on Wednesday.

WNN - Indonesia needs to double its electricity generation capacity over the next ten years, and continue that expansion beyond 2050, to improve access to electricity and meet the demand of its growing economy and population, the London-based organisation said. At the same time Indonesia needs to tackle high levels of air pollution and deliver on the commitment made at the COP 21 climate change conference to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 29% by 2030.

IMF - The Indonesian economy has continued to perform well. Real GDP growth accelerated slightly to 5.1 percent in Q3:2017 from 5 percent in 2016 and H1:2017, led by robust exports and fixed investment.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - The worldwide rig count for February 2018 was 2,271, up 96 from the 2,175 counted in January 2018, and up 244 from the 2,027 counted in February 2017.

EXXONMOBIL said it added 2.7 billion oil-equivalent barrels of proved oil and gas reserves in 2017, replacing 183 percent of production. ExxonMobil's proved reserves totaled 21.2 billion oil-equivalent barrels at year-end 2017. Liquids represented 57 percent of the reserves, up from 53 percent in 2016. ExxonMobil’s reserves life at current production rates is 14 years.

BLOOMBERG - West Texas Intermediate for March delivery rose as much as 79 cents to $64.18 a barrel and traded at $63.88 as of 11:39 a.m. in Singapore. The contract fell 76 cents to $63.39 on Tuesday. Total volume traded was about 16 percent above the 100-day average. Brent for April settlement rose 46 cents to $67.32 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, snapping a three-day decline. The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $3.73 to April WTI.