Japan sees the current low oil price environment creating "a significant chance for acquiring [upstream] stakes and assets," as well as the need to facilitate upstream investments amid slowing investments globally, Yuki Sadamitsu, director of the oil and gas division at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in an interview with S&P Global Platts last month.

“This is going to be the most transparent national oil company listing of all time,” Khalid al-Falih, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, told.

Nigeria aims to increase its crude oil output to 2.8 million b/d by 2019 and to 3 million b/d by 2020 from the current average of 2 million b/d, according to a short term policy document produced by the country's oil ministry.

ConocoPhillips plans conservative financial and operating programs in 2017, planning for a longer-than-expected $50/b oil world by reducing its capital budget 4%, growing production up to 2% and forging technologies to squeeze out the last smidgen of resource from existing assets.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc will invest $10 billion in Brazil over five years now that the country has increased opportunities for foreign companies in its oil industry, its chief executive officer said on Thursday.

ConocoPhillips has set its 2017 capital expenditures guidance at $5 billion, down 4% compared with its 2016 guidance of $5.2 billion and less than half of its 2015 capex and investments that totaled $10.1 billion. The firm recently cut its 2016 capex from $5.5 million.

Total investment in oil and natural gas extraction in Norway was 21% lower in the first half of 2016 compared with the first half of 2015, a decline of about 20.9 billion Norwegian kroner (US $3.5 billion). However, investment cuts have affected some segments of the industry more than others.

The North Sea oil and gas industry currently faces fierce global competition to attract investment, with the combined challenges of a low oil price, a maturing industry and uncertainty for the sector. Oil & Gas UK’s recently published Economic Report 2016 found that investment in the UK continental shelf has fallen to around £9 billion this year, from a record £14.8 billion in 2014, illustrating the difficulty for investors in accessing finance for asset development.

Министр энергетики Российской Федерации Александр Новак принял участие в 21-й регулярной встрече глав правительств России и Китая, которую провели Председатель Правительства Российской Федерации Дмитрий Медведев и Премьер Государственного совета КНР Ли Кэцян.

Rosneft and Beijing Gas Group Company Limited (hereinafter, "Beijing Gas") signed a Purchase and Sale Agreement and a Shareholder and Operating Agreement for the sale of a 20% stake in Verkhnechonskneftegaz (a Rosneft subsidiary) to the Chinese company, an Agreement on the Area of Mutual Interest in respect of the adjoining license areas and an Agreement on the cooperation in the gas business. The transaction execution agreement was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Russian Government Dmitry Medvedev and Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang by Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin and Beijing Gas Group Chairwoman of the Management Board Li Yalan.

Iran wants $200bn of investment in its energy industry over the next five years in order to raise production. Until now the country has been struggling to persuade overseas energy companies to commit amid wrangling over the contract terms offered by Tehran.

After a decade of volatile GDP growth and steadily increasing gas and power demand, Mexico continues to progress toward an unbundling of the monopolies Pemex and CFE once held over its gas and power sectors. According to a recent study by Wood Mackenzie, these reforms have created the potential for approximately US$415 billion in investment over the next two decades as the country builds pipelines, develops a renewables market to meet clean energy targets, and sets the stage for M&A.

The UK-listed oil majors both said they were planning for prices per barrel in the low $50s in 2017 — only a little above current levels — in a sign of the industry adapting to “lower-for-longer” market conditions.

Qatar Petroleum (QP) announced on Monday a joint venture with ExxonMobil called Ocean LNG, tasked with marketing LNG sourced outside the GCC country.

Nabors Industries Ltd. reported the signing of an agreement to form a joint venture in Saudi Arabia to own, manage, and operate onshore drilling rigs. The JV, which will be equally owned by Saudi Aramco and Nabors, is expected to be formed and commence operations in second-quarter 2017.