REUTERS - Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were at $73.79 per barrel at 0440 GMT, up 1 cent from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 down 2 cents at $68.40 a barrel.

API - natural gas and oil drilling and completions rose more than 35 percent over 2017 levels signaling the strength of the U.S. natural gas and oil industry. In addition, the success rate for exploration of natural gas and oil was more than 60 percent, the highest rate since 2009.

FT - Oil prices hit their highest level since 2014 on Thursday, moving above $74 a barrel and lifting energy companies to the top of global stock indices.

REUTERS - Italian oil major Eni has no plans to pull out of its joint venture with Russia’s Rosneft despite escalating sanctions against Russia, the head of Eni said on Wednesday.

EIA - The United States exported 97.0 million short tons (MMst) of coal in 2017, a 61% (36.7 MMst) increase from the 2016 level. Exports to Asia more than doubled from 15.7 MMst in 2016 to 32.8 MMst in 2017, although Europe continues to be the largest recipient of U.S. coal exports.

NPD - Preliminary production figures for March 2018 show an average daily production of 1 901 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is a decrease of 46 000 barrels per day compared to February.

SHANA - The CEO of the Iranian Gas Commercial Company (IGCC) said his company, as the sole exporter of gas products in Iran, is currently seeking new markets for exporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

LUKOIL - LUKOIL has commissioned a Gas Processing Complex at the Kandym fields cluster in Uzbekistan. The official opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Aleksander Novak, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Uzbekistan Vladimir Tyurdenyov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Uzbekistan Kwon Yong Woo and the President of PJSC "LUKOIL" Vagit Alekperov.

ENI - Eni will invest €7 billion in Italy over the next four years, including €1 billion in green activities

REUTERS - Offshore oil driller Seadrill (SDRL.OL) plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late June or early July to catch the rising wave of rig market activity, its chief executive told said on Wednesday.