November 2016

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that the goods and services deficit was $36.4 billion in September, down $4.0 billion from $40.5 billion in August, revised. September exports were $189.2 billion, $1.0 billion more than August exports. September imports were $225.6 billion, $3.0 billion less than August imports.

Sinopec Ltd. reported that Fuling shale gas field in southwestern China produced a cumulative 3.76 billion cu m of gas from January to September. The 107% increase in production was accompanied by additional processing capacity of 5.5-6.5 bcm, the company said. In 2014, Sinopec announced plans to bring production capacity to 10 bcm/year by 2017.

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 worldwide rig count for October 2016 was 1,620, up 36 from the 1,584 counted in September 2016, and down 466 from the 2,086 counted in October 2015.

U.S. Rig Count is down 202 rigs from last year's count of 771, with oil rigs down 122, gas rigs down 82, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is down 31 rigs from last year's count of 185, with oil rigs down 3, gas rigs down 29, and miscellaneous rigs up 1.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 fell by 70 cents to $45.97 by 0611 ET and Brent crude LCOc1 was down 69 cents at $47.45. Both contracts were at their lowest since Sept. 28.

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.

Output in the U.S. will fall 800,000 barrels a day this year, Adam Sieminski, administrator for the EIA, said in an interview in Riyadh. That would be the first drop since 2008, data compiled by Bloomberg show. OPEC’s attempts to carry out an agreement on limiting production are still “very much up in the air,” he said.

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

TransCanada Corporation (TSX:TRP) (NYSE:TRP) (TransCanada) announced a net loss attributable to common shares for third quarter 2016 of $135 million or $0.17 per share compared to net income of $402 million or $0.57 per share for the same period in 2015. Third quarter 2016 results included a $656 million after-tax goodwill impairment charge related to our U.S. Northeast Power business. Excluding the net loss on the goodwill impairment and certain other specific items, comparable earnings for third quarter 2016 were $622 million or $0.78 per share compared to $440 million or $0.62 per share for the same period in 2015. TransCanada's Board of Directors also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.565 per common share for the quarter ending December 31, 2016, equivalent to $2.26 per common share on an annualized basis.