REUTERS - The United States is tightening controls on China’s imports of civil nuclear technology to prevent use for military or other unauthorized purposes, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Thursday amid increased trade tensions.

PLATTS - Iran played down the impact of looming US sanctions on its economy with a senior official saying on Sunday that the current high oil prices should make up for any fall in oil sales, according to state-owned news agency IRNA.

PLATTS - South Korea imported no Iranian crude in September -- for the first time since September 2012 -- ahead of the looming reimposition of US sanctions on Tehran, preliminary data released by Korea Customs Service showed Monday.

GAZPROM - The parties discussed relevant issues related to bilateral cooperation, including the Baltic LNG project. Emphasis was placed on the priority measures aimed at developing a joint design concept (pre-FEED).

BHGE - U.S. Rig Count is up 11 rigs from last week to 1,063, with oil rigs up 8 to 869, gas rigs up 4 to 193, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 1. Canada Rig Count is up 13 rigs from last week to 195, with oil rigs up 8 to 127 and gas rigs up 5 to 68.

REUTERS - Brent crude futures had risen $1.02 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $81.28 a barrel by 0637 GMT. The contract dropped 3.4 percent on Thursday following sharp falls in equity markets and indications that supply concerns have been overblown. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 80 cents, or 1.1 percent, at $71.77 a barrel, after a 3 percent fall in the previous session. WTI is on track for a 3.5 percent drop this week.

EIA - Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $79 per barrel (b) in September, up $6/b from August. EIA expects Brent spot prices will average $74/b in 2018 and $75/b in 2019. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices will average about $6/b lower than Brent prices in 2018 and in 2019.

OPEC - In 2018, world oil demand growth is estimated at 1.54 mb/d, following a downward revision of around 80 tb/d from the previous month’s assessment, mainly to reflect the most up-to-date data in OECD Europe and the Middle East, as well as the latest developments in the economies of in Latin America.

PLATTS - "If sanctions were put on Rosneft or Lukoil or Gazprom, like what happened to Rusal, you would virtually shut down the energy systems of Europe," Dudley said.

NOVATEK - NOVATEK’s hydrocarbons production totaled 402.2million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), including 50.31 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas and 8,775 thousand tons of liquids (gas condensate and crude oil), resulting in an increase in total hydrocarbons production by 18.9 million boe, or by 4.9%, as compared with the nine months 2017.