EIA forecasts Brent crude oil prices to average $55/b in 2017 and $57/b in 2018. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are forecast to average about $1/b less than Brent prices in 2017. The NYMEX contract values for April 2017 delivery traded during the five-day period ending February 2 suggest that a range from $45/b to $65/b encompasses the market expectation of WTI prices in April 2017 at the 95% confidence level.

The NYMEX March natural gas futures contract settled 8 cents higher at $3.130/MMBtu on Tuesday, on the heels of a slide that saw the prompt month shed nearly 13 cents across two trading days.

Saudi Arabia's crude oil supplies to Japan rose to a 10-year high in 2016, underlining the kingdom's strong will to defend its share in the ever competitive Asian markets.

"Over the course of the past year, Iran and Venezuela had very close stances and we were supportive of each other in many instances," said the Iranian official.

China is committed to having talks with the parties directly involved, and in accordance with historical facts and international law to peacefully resolve the issue, and that position will not change, Wang said.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that the goods and services deficit was $44.3 billion in December, down $1.5 billion from $45.7 billion in November, revised. December exports were $190.7 billion, $5.0 billion more than November exports. December imports were $235.0 billion, $3.6 billion more than November imports.

India’s leading state owned oil and gas firm Indian Oil posted a net profit of rupees 153.86bn ($2.29bn) for the nine months ended December 31, 2016, compared with a net profit of rupees 92.36bn during the corresponding period of the previous year, a jump of almost 66%.

Indian ONGC reported profit of rupees 43.52bn ($0.65bn) in 3Q of fiscal 2016-17 as against rupees 14.66bn in the corresponding quarter of last year, a rise of 197%, the company said last week citing higher gross oil realisation as the primary reason.

International Brent crude futures were trading at $56.96 per barrel at 0750 GMT, up 15 cents from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were up 18 cents at $54.01 a barrel.

В ходе встречи стороны обсудили ход реализации соглашения стран, входящих и не входящих в ОПЕК, об ограничении добычи нефти и отметили позитивное влияние достигнутых договоренностей на мировой рынок нефти.