U.S. EIA - In September 2018, for the 17th consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year to year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in September 2018 was 2,590 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 86.3 Bcf/d. This level was 10.5 Bcf/d (13.8%) higher than the September 2017 level of 75.8 Bcf/d.

GAZPROM - Profit attributable to the owners of PJSC Gazprom for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 totalled RUB 1,017,250 million which is by RUB 435,416 million, or 75%, more than for the same period of the prior year.

SHELL - Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), through its affiliate Shell Overseas Holdings Limited, has completed the sale of its shares in Shell E&P Ireland Limited (SEPIL), which holds a 45% interest in the Corrib gas venture, for up to $1.30 billion (€1.14 billion), to Nephin Energy Holdings Limited (NEHL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). Completion follows receipt of all necessary partner and regulatory consents and the transaction’s effective date is 1 January 2017.

WNN - Energy infrastructure is a critical component of South Africa's National Development Plan (NDP), which was published in 2011 and identifies the need for investment in a strong network of economic infrastructure designed to support the country’s medium- and long-term economic and social objectives. The IRP plays a crucial role in contributing to the objectives of the NDP, the Committee said in its report.

BHGE - U.S. Rig Count is down 3 rigs from last week to 1,076, with oil rigs up 2 to 887 and gas rigs down 5 to 189. Canada Rig Count is down 5 rigs from last week to 199, with oil rigs down 5 to 119 and gas rigs unchanged at 80.

REUTERS - International Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were at $59.68 per barrel at 0742 GMT, up 17 cents, or 0.3 percent, from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at 51.41, down 4 cents.

REUTERS - Germany is still committed to the NordStream 2 pipeline, which will allow Russia to bypass Ukraine in transporting gas to Europe, despite escalating tension in the region, a government spokesman in Berlin said on Wednesday.

REUTERS - The United States has been pressing Europe to cut its reliance on cheap Russian gas and buy much more expensive U.S. LNG instead, which many European countries, including industrial heavyweight Germany, have so far resisted.

WNN - According to the Rosenergoatom statement, Peter Tarren, head of the IAEA's Operational Safety Section and leader of the team said: "From the point of view of the IAEA, this mission was very successful. Experts concluded that everything is working very well at Rosenergoatom. Each organisation may strive for improvement, but what I saw here at the company is a real commitment to safety principles."

U.S. EIA - Proved reserves of crude oil in the United States increased 19.5% (6.4 billion barrels) to 39.2 billion barrels at Year-End 2017, setting a new U.S. record for crude oil proved reserves. The previous record was 39.0 billion barrels set in 1970. Proved reserves of natural gas increased by 123.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) (36.1%) to 464.3 Tcf at year-end 2017—a new U.S. record for total natural gas proved reserves. The previous U.S. record was 388.8 Tcf, set in 2014.

U.S. BEA - Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018, according to the "second" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the second quarter, real GDP increased 4.2 percent.

SA - By most accounts, the U.S. has the highest level of economic inequality among developed countries. It has the world's greatest per capita health expenditures yet the lowest life expectancy among comparable countries.

U.S. EIA - Dry natural gas production in Mexico has fallen 38% since 2012 because of declining reserves, a low price environment, and limited exploration and production of new wells. Mexico’s dry natural gas production was 2.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in October 2018, according to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX). This level is down 7% from year-ago levels, when production averaged 2.5 Bcf/d, and down 21% from two years ago, when production averaged 3.0 Bcf/d.

WNN - "We acknowledge the contribution of, and potential for the applications of nuclear science and technology to meet a wide variety of basic socio-economic and human development needs; we recognise the progress made in all Member States in addressing such development needs and the benefits achieved from the application of nuclear techniques in both developing and developed States; and we underscore the growing need and demand for further utilisation of nuclear applications worldwide."

WNN - Climate change is the most significant threat to our planet today. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on the impacts of global warming reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels sends a clear warning that this increase may be exceeded by 2030-2050 unless radical action is taken. Nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy. According to the IPCC, the median lifecycle emissions from nuclear are 12g/kWh, as low as wind energy.