PLATTS - Nigeria's oil production rebounded to 2.07 million b/d in April this year, after it slipped to 2.02 million b/d in the preceding month, according to estimates released Thursday by the oil ministry.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 13 rigs from last week to 1,045, with oil rigs up 10 to 844, gas rigs up 3 to 199, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 2. Canada Rig Count is down 7 rigs from last week to 79, with oil rigs down 5 to 32 and gas rigs down 2 to 47.

REUTERS - Brent crude futures were up 29 cents at $77.50 a barrel by 0933 GMT, having gained 3.5 percent so far this week, the largest weekly increase since mid-April. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 42 cents at $71.56 a barrel.

EIA - Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $72 per barrel (b) in April, an increase of $6/b from the March level and the first time monthly Brent crude oil prices have averaged more than $70/b since November 2014. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average $71/b in 2018 and $66/b in 2019, which are $7/b and $3/b higher, respectively, than in the April

BLOOMBERG - India sees a greater probability of global crude oil prices remaining high for a longer period, a scenario that threatens to dent growth and fan inflation in Asia’s third-largest economy.

WNN - The 128 nuclear power reactors - with a combined capacity of 119 GWe - currently operating in 14 of the 28 EU Member States account for more than one-quarter of the electricity generated in the whole of the EU.

PETROBRAS - Net income attributable to the shareholders of Petrobras was US$ 2,145 million in 1Q-2018, a 51% increase compared to US$ 1,417 million in 1Q-2017. The result improved mainly due to increase in Brent prices and gains with divestments.

REUTERS - U.S. crude futures last traded at $70.11 per barrel, down 0.9 percent from Monday’s settlement price. Global benchmark Brent crude futures stood at $75.64 per barrel, down 0.7 percent, having risen as high as $76.34 on Monday.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - The worldwide rig count for April 2018 was 2,087, down 92 from the 2,179 counted in March 2018, and up 170 from the 1,917 counted in April 2017.

REUTERS - Brent crude oil futures were at $75.71 per barrel, up 84 cents, or 1.12 percent from their last close at 0416 GMT after climbing to $75.89 a barrel earlier in the session, its highest since November 2014. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 0.95 percent to trade at $70.39 per barrel, up 66 cents from their last settlement.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Средняя цена нефти марки Urals по итогам января – апреля 2018 года составила $ 66,15 за баррель. В 2017 году средняя цена на Urals в январе – апреле составила $ 51,84 за баррель. Средняя цена на нефть марки Urals в апреле 2018 года сложилась в размере $ 69,08 за баррель, что в 1,35 раза выше, чем в апреле 2017 года ($ 51,11 за баррель).

OGJ - “I frankly don’t see it as a strategy,” Mitrova admitted. “When we look at Russia’s economy, energy is an important part. Hydrocarbons still represent the biggest share of its federal budget, but their share has dropped from 50% to 40%. There is no consistent long-term plan, and many decisions are driven by short-term adaptations. There is no clear consensus.”

U.S. DOL - Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 164,000 in April, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, manufacturing, health care, and mining.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 11 rigs from last week to 1,032, with oil rigs up 9 to 834, gas rigs up 1 to 196, and miscellaneous rigs up 1 to 2. Canada Rig Count is up 1 rig from last week to 86, with oil rigs up 4 to 37 and gas rigs down 3 to 49.

REUTERS - Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were up 31 cents at $73.44 a barrel by 0900 GMT, after falling nearly 3 percent on Tuesday to its lowest in two weeks. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 50 cents to $67.75 per barrel.