U.S. monthly crude oil production in December 2015 continued to decline, as oil production reached its lowest level since November 2014. Production also declined from year-ago levels for the first time in more than four years. This continued production decline is the result of lower crude prices, which have declined more than 70% since the summer of 2014.

“Despite some mitigating factors, lower oil prices are, on the whole, not favorable for Canada,” the study says, suggesting, “For every Canadian-dollar gain in WTI price, Canadian GDP would gain almost $1.7 billion on average.”

Petroleum exploration activity in Australia has collapsed in the wake of the plunge in global oil prices over the last 18 months, a period in which the country's crude production has fallen to its lowest level in 45 years, according to a report released Wednesday at an industry conference in Sydney.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $40.88 per barrel at 0339 GMT, down 19 cents from their last close.

Oil prices fell on Tuesday on weak Chinese trading data, but Brent remained over $40 a barrel after jumping to 2016 highs the previous day when producers announced talks to support the market and investors opened new bullish bets.

Global crude markets will see a correction before the end of this year as current prices are forcing all producers to freeze their production, the United Arab Emirates’ energy minister Suhail bin Mohammed al-Mazrouei said Monday.

China's crude oil imports in February rose 20.2 percent on a daily basis compared to same month last year, reaching a new record, official customs data showed on Tuesday.

Indian oil demand, meanwhile, grew by 300,000 b/d last year after rising by 100,000-150,000 b/d/year in the previous decade.

Crude oil production in April from the seven major US shale regions is expected to fall 106,000 b/d to 4.87 million b/d, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s latest Drilling Productivity Report (DPR). That includes a 4,000-b/d drop in the Permian to 2.04 million b/d.

U.S. Rig Count is down 13 rigs from last week to 489, with oil rigs down 8 to 392, and gas rigs down 5 to 97. Canadian Rig Count is down 46 rigs from last week to 129, with oil rigs down 33 to 50, and gas rigs down 13 to 79.