September 2018

SHANA - Iran’s Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh said the Joint OPEC/Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) is not legally competent to make decisions about adjustment of production quotas.

U.S. EIA - Second-quarter 2018 financial results for 45 U.S. oil exploration and production companies that the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) regularly tracks reveal that most companies increased their capital expenditure budgets for 2018 compared with initial budgets made at the beginning of the year.

U.S. EIA - Energy companies’ free cash flow—the difference between cash from operations and capital expenditure—was $119 billion for the four quarters ending June 30, 2018, the largest four-quarter sum during 2013–18 Companies reduced debt for seven consecutive quarters, contributing to the lowest long-term debt-to-equity ratio since third-quarter 2014

OPEC - Total oil demand for 2018 is now estimated at 98.82 mb/d. In 2019, world oil demand growth is forecast to rise by 1.41 mb/d. Total world oil demand in 2019 is now projected to surpass 100 mb/d for the first time and reach 100.23 mb/d.

ARAB NEWS - Oil exports from southern Iraq are heading for a record high this month, two industry sources said, adding to signs that OPEC’s second-largest producer is following through on a deal to raise supply and local unrest is not affecting shipments.

PLATTS - The International Energy Agency expects the US to account for 75% of the global growth in natural gas exports over the next five years, a bullish outlook for LNG developers facing challenges at home getting projects off the ground and abroad with tariffs affecting trade flows.

U.S. BEA - The U.S. current-account deficit decreased to $101.5 billion (preliminary) in the second quarter of 2018 from $121.7 billion (revised) in the first quarter of 2018, according to statistics released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The deficit was 2.0 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter, down from 2.4 percent in the first quarter.

REUTERS - Germany will chose where to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal by the end of 2018 as a gesture to the United States which wants to ship more gas to Europe, the economy minister said.

RIO TINTO - The proceeds will be returned through a $3.2 billion share buy-back programme (the “Programme”), combining an off-market buy-back tender targeting up to 41.2 million Rio Tinto Limited shares (approximately A$2.7 billion ($1.9 billion )) and further on-market purchases of Rio Tinto plc shares. The Programme is subject to market conditions and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

REUTERS -Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 2 cents at $79.05 a barrel by 0854 GMT, having gained 1.3 percent on Tuesday following media reports that Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, was comfortable with prices above $80. U.S. crude futures CLc1 were up 15 cents at $70.00, after gaining 1.4 percent the day before.