Стороны обсудили вопросы экспорта российского газа в Италию. В 2015 году, по предварительным данным, он вырос на 12,6% по сравнению с 2014 годом и составил около 24,4 млрд куб. м газа, а с 1 по 20 января 2016 года увеличился на 24,5% по сравнению с аналогичным периодом 2015 года. Италия является одним из ключевых экспортных рынков «Газпрома» и в 2015 году заняла третье место среди стран дальнего зарубежья по объему поставок российского газа.

The biggest increase was seen in the consumption of gas-to-power by industrial customers, which increased by 161% to reach a total of 10.8% of overall consumption. The transmission operator attributes the increase in industrial demand to "favourable economic conditions."

"Just because I’ve built a pipeline, that doesn't mean that you have to buy my gas, the idea that that somehow it's undermining diversification of sources is just not true."

U.S. Rig Count is down 13 rigs from last week to 637, with oil rigs down 5 to 510, and gas rigs down 8 to 127.

Estimated development oil well completions in 2015 fourth quarter fell 55 percent compared to 2014 fourth quarter estimates. Estimated development gas completions decreased 37 percent over the same period.

U.S. stocks are rising Friday as energy prices continue to climb and give a boost to energy companies. A global rally lifted stocks in Asia and Europe. After two days of gains, major indexes in the U.S. are set to rise for the first week in the last four.

The February crude oil contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained $1.81 to settle at $29.53/bbl on Jan. 21. The March contract was up $1.14 to settle at $30.83/bbl. The NYMEX natural gas contract for February gained 2¢ to a rounded $2.14/MMbtu. The Henry Hub gas price was $2.20/MMbtu on Jan. 21, up 6¢.

Iran's annual average crude oil production is forecast at 3.1 million b/d in 2016 (10% of projected total OPEC production), and almost 3.6 million b/d in 2017.

According to preliminary figures for 2015, the gas deliveries grew by 23.6 per cent to 1.7 billion cubic meters.

Nord Stream 2 will be built, according to Gazprom’s chairman of the board, Viktor Zubkov. “This means that customers will receive gas at favorable prices, but for this we need reliable sources of supply and uninterrupted means of transportation,” he said.