Rosneft and Beijing Gas Group Company Limited ("Beijing Gas") closed the deal for sale and purchase of 20% shares in Verkhnechonskneftegaz (a Rosneft subsidiary). The price of purchased 20% stake amounted to around USD 1.1bln.

South Korean companies announced plans to import more American shale gas and build new factories in the U.S. as the two countries' leaders prepare to hold summit talks in Washington where trade is expected to be a key issue.

Turkstream has been promoted by Mr Putin as a way to deepenaccess to the Turkish market, which was the second biggest for Russian natural gas last year after Germany, and to support his strategic objective to bypass Ukrainian pipelines.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt on Monday cut ties with Qatar, accusing the country of supporting extremism. Qatar denies the allegations.

Qatar and Russia have long been rivals in global gas markets. Qatar's supplies came under the spotlight in the past month after Saudi Arabia cut economic and diplomatic ties, in a move ratcheting up a wider violent and diplomatic conflict in the Middle East.

Creditor banks to India's Essar Oil approved the acquisition of the company by a group including Russia's Rosneft, two sources familiar with the matter said, removing a key hurdle to the $12.9 billion deal that has been in the works for two years.

BP and RIL partnered in 2011 when BP acquired 30% interest in multiple oil and gas blocks in India operated by RIL, including the producing Block KGD6. RIL currently operates KGD6 with 60% interest, while BP still holds 30% and Niko Resources Ltd. has the remaining 10%.

"It is worth taking the risk at $1 billion because it opens a huge market. We are perfectly conscious of some risks. We have taken into account (sanctions) snap-backs, we have to take into account regulation changes," Pouyanne said in an interview.

Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom, and Ben van Beurden, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell, signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2017 the Heads of Agreement to set up a joint venture.

The upward trend continues: from January through May 2017 Russian gas deliveries to France added 8.8 per cent compared to the same period of 2016.

Following last year’s increase of 38 per cent, Gazprom continued to boost its gas exports to the Austrian market. Specifically, from January through May 2017 Russian gas deliveries to Austria added 79.5 per cent compared to the same period of 2016.

over the past five months, Gazprom’s gas supplies to the country added 37.3 per cent compared to the January–May period of 2016.

In 2016 Gazprom’s gas deliveries to Serbia had added 4.3 per cent compared to 2015. On top of that, the first half of 2017 saw a considerable increase in the demand for Russian gas: from January through May 2017 Gazprom’s gas supplies to Serbia climbed 42.2 per cent compared to the same period of 2016.

Speech by Alexey Miller at “Global Gas Markets: Energy Policy and Energy Security” Panel Session held as part of St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

Under the first agreement, Shell has completed the sale to a subsidiary of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (“Canadian Natural”) its entire 60% interest in AOSP, its 100% interest in the Peace River Complex in-situ assets, including Carmon Creek, and a number of undeveloped oil sands leases in Alberta, Canada. The consideration to Shell from Canadian Natural is approximately $8.2 billion (C$10.9 billion), comprised of $5.3 billion in cash plus around 98 million Canadian Natural shares currently valued at $2.9 billion. Shell’s share position in Canadian Natural will be managed for value realisation over time.