U.S. natural gas production continued to increase in August despite relatively low natural gas spot prices

At 440.5 million bbl, US crude oil inventories are 3% above the 5-year average for this time of year

Industrial production declined 0.2 percent in July. Manufacturing output decreased 0.4 percent last month and has fallen more than 1-1/2 percent since December 2018. In July, mining output fell 1.8 percent, as Hurricane Barry caused a sharp but temporary decline in oil extraction in the Gulf of Mexico.

Malaysia's central bank data on Friday showed second quarter gross domestic product grew 4.9% year-on-year, beating the 4.8% forecast

Brent crude was down 46 cents, or 0.8%, at $60.84 a barrel at 0639 GMT, after rising 4.7% on Tuesday, the biggest percentage gain since December. U.S. oil was down 62 cents, or 1.1%, at $56.48 a barrel, having risen 4% the previous session, the most in just over a month.

For the first seven months of 2019, Chinese crude throughput rose 5.6% from a year earlier to 369.73 million tonnes, or 12.73 million bpd, the NBS reported.

Brent crude futures were down 20 cents or 0.3% from the previous settlement at $58.29, WTI futures were at $54.69 per barrel

"Russian imports are expected to rise month on month in August," it said. "A significant amount of ESP sales for August delivery for both northwest Europe and Central and Eastern Europe is expected to counteract the effect of reduced contractual nominations."

U.S. EIA - Crude oil production from the major US onshore regions is forecast to increase 85,000 b/d month-over-month in August from 8,683 to 8,768 thousand barrels/day, gas production to increase 729 million cubic feet/day from 80,866 to 81,595 million cubic feet/day .

U.S. EIA - Australia’s LNG export capacity increased from 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2011 to more than 11.4 Bcf/d in 2019.

For the six months of 2019 LUKOIL Group's average hydrocarbon production excluding the West Qurna-2 project was 2,352 thousand boe per day, which is 2.8% higher year-on-year. The increase was mainly driven by the development of gas projects in Uzbekistan, as well as oil production growth in Russia due to change in terms of the external limitations of Russian companies' production volumes.

International benchmark Brent crude futures were at $58.16 a barrel by 0829 GMT, down 37 cents from their previous settlement. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were at $53.89 per barrel, down 61 cents from their last close.

Now, the situation of the oil demand growth is becoming even more uncertain: the US-China trade dispute remains unresolved and in September new tariffs are due to be imposed.

U.S. natural gas demand is rising as power generators shut coal plants and burn more gas for electricity and as rapidly expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals turn more of the fuel into super-cooled liquid for export.

Russian gas sales on Gazprom Export's Electronic Sales Platform (ESP) rebounded above 100 million cu m in Thursday's auction, continuing a trend of steady strong sales on the platform this month.