2018

PLATTS - OPEC's second-largest producer, Iraq, boosted its southern crude oil exports to a new record high of 3.583 million b/d in August, according to the latest oil ministry data.

FT - Higher energy prices and a weakened rouble saw second-quarter profits soar at three of Russia’s largest oil and gas groups, underlining a strong earnings season for the country’s energy industry that has weathered international sanctions to reap strong earnings.

REUTERS - Liquefied natural gas exports from Novatek’s Yamal terminal in the Arctic have come on stream faster than expected over the summer and exceeded volumes from Russia’s only other LNG facility, Sakhalin, for the first time in August.

PLATTS - Libya's crude oil production edged up again this week, with increased output from two smaller fields in the east of the country, sources said Friday.

REUTERS - Japan’s consumption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is set to fall as the country’s nuclear reactors restart, with output from atomic power set for its highest since the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster.

IAEA - "The vision of Saudi Arabia 2030 considers nuclear energy as an important source to support stability and sustainable growth,” he said. “Deployment of nuclear energy aims for peaceful purposes, in a safe, secure and sustainable manner consistent with highest standards and best practices. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested the INIR mission to support this goal. It was a valuable tool to pinpoint areas of improvement and ensure that the required infrastructures are in place before signing the contract for building the first nuclear power plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

WNN - Indonesia's National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan) has signed an agreement with China's Tsinghua University to cooperate on human resources capacity building.

REUTERS -India’s annual economic growth surged to a more than two-year high of 8.2 percent in the three months through June, giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government a political boost in the final year of his term before elections.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 4 rigs from last week to 1,048, with oil rigs up 2 to 862, gas rigs up 2 to 184, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 2. Canada Rig Count is down 1 rig from last week to 228, with oil rigs down 2 to 151 and gas rigs up 1 to 77.

REUTERS -International Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were at $77.64 per barrel at 0654 GMT, down 13 cents from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were unchanged at $70.25 a barrel.