June 2018

REUTERS - Brent crude LCOc1 was down 30 cents at $75.58 a barrel by 1000 GMT. U.S. light crude CLc1 was 15 cents lower at $66.21.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - Было отмечено, что отношения России и Китая носят дружественный, добрососедский характер, поступательно развиваются в духе всеобъемлющего стратегического партнёрства: стабильно растет товарооборот, увеличиваются инвестиции.

GAZPROM - The meeting participants reviewed a wide range of issues regarding cooperation in the gas sector, including the status of the project for gas supplies via the eastern route (Power of Siberia). It was noted that the project was going according to schedule, with the gas pipeline’s linear part from the Chayandinskoye field to the Chinese border completed by 84.4 per cent (over 1,820 kilometers). Pipe pulling operations were finished in the second tunnel of the crossing under the Amur River within Power of Siberia’s cross-border section.

ROSATOM - Russian and Chinese nuclear executives have signed the biggest package of contracts in the history of the two countries’ nuclear partnership. The package consists of 4 deals and envisages the construction of 4 Gen 3+ VVER-1200 units (at the Xudabao and Tianwan sites), cooperation in the CFR-600 fast reactor pilot project, and supply of the RITEG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) parts for China’s lunar exploration programme. The signing ceremony was attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin and People’s Republic of China president Xi Jinping.

BLOOMBERG - The nation boosted crude supply to the highest in 14 months in the first week of June as some companies breached their caps, said a person with knowledge of the matter. While both the Kremlin and oil bosses remain publicly committed to the accord, production of 11.09 million barrels a day exceeds the 10.95 million limit agreed with OPEC, the official said.

BLOOMBERG - Saudi Arabia, which along with Russia is trying to garner support for lifting output limits, told the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that its daily production rose 162,000 barrels a day to 10.030 million in May compared with the previous month, a person with knowledge of the data said, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public.

EIA - Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $77 per barrel (b) in May, an increase of $5/b from the April level and the highest monthly average price since November 2014. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average $71/b in 2018 and $68/b in 2019. The 2019 forecast price is $2/b higher than in the May STEO. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices will average almost $7/b lower than Brent prices in 2018 and $6/b lower than Brent prices in 2019

U.S.DT - the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five Russian entities and three Russian individuals under Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, “Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities,” as amended, and Section 224 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

PLATTS - China and Iran have agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to China, possibly paving the way for steady crude flows between the two countries.

EIA - Global trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG) reached 38.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017, a 10% (3.5 Bcf/d) increase from 2016 and the largest annual volume increase on record,