Preliminary production figures for August 2017 show an average daily production of 1 918 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is a decrease of 41 000 barrels per day compared to July. Total gas sales were 10.4 billion Sm3 (GSm3), which is a decrease of 0.1 GSM3 from the previous month.

Russian natural gas volumes piped via Ukraine to European consumers are up by 23.4 percent so far this year at 61.9 billion cubic metres (bcm), Ukrainian gas transport monopoly Ukrtransgaz said.

The acquisition of Russia’s Eurasia Drilling Co (EDC) by U.S. oilfield services giant Schlumberger (SLB.N) has been held up by U.S. sanctions on Russia, Russian Deputy PM Arkady Dvorkovich was quoted as saying by local news services.

Last week, U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) made its way to the somewhat unlikely market of Lithuania. The former Soviet republic traditionally bought its gas from Russian state company Gazprom; this was its first shipment from the United States. For President Donald Trump, that must have been a gratifying sign of the success of his administration’s nascent energy diplomacy.

The Danish Straits and Turkish Straits, together transited by a combined volume of more than 5 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2016, are important chokepoints for Europe’s crude oil and petroleum liquids supply. Nearly 59 million b/d of global petroleum and other liquids production moved on maritime routes in 2015. Although most discussions of maritime chokepoints for oil trade focus on the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, which together were transited by a combined volume of more than 30 million b/d, other chokepoints are significant for specific regions.

Preliminary production figures for July 2017 show an average daily production of 2 000 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is an increase of 93 000 barrels per day compared to June.

Russia's Gazprom will soon be able to bid for up to 12.8 Bcm/year of extra capacity in Germany's 36.5 Bcm/year Opal natural gas pipeline after an EU court lifted a temporary ban late Friday.

The European Union could do more to convince countries to put EU reform recommendations into practice. For example, targeted support from the EU budget could be provided to incentivize reforms. The EU should also continue pushing for greater integration of the energy, transport, and digital markets.

"I warmly welcome Schlumberger as our majority shareholder. It builds on our strategic alliance with Schlumberger since 2011 and our mutually beneficial business relationship since 2007. The combination of the technology knowhow and operational expertise of Schlumberger coupled to the financial strength of the Investment Funds, brings significant benefits to our customers and the Russian conventional land drilling market."

Preliminary production figures for June 2017 show an average daily production of 1 884 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is a decrease of 116 000 barrels per day compared to May.