OGJ - “Russia already has improved its relations with Iran. Given its foreign policy stance toward the US, this could grow if it believes it would undermine the US position. Russia is taking a long-term view. It sees several obstacles, which it is determined to overcome.”

REUTERS - India, Iran’s top oil client after China, shipped in 5.67 million tonnes, or about 457,000 barrels per day (bpd), of oil, from the country in the first three months of this fiscal year, Dharmendra Pradhan told lawmakers in a written reply.

API - API released its monthly statistical report for June of 2018 highlighting that U.S. production of crude oil and natural gas liquids hit is highest level ever. In June, production of crude oil hit 10.7 million barrels per day (mb/d) and production of natural gas liquids hit 4.2 mb/d.

REUTERS - China, which purchased 14 percent of all U.S. LNG shipped between February 2016-April 2018, has taken delivery from just one vessel that left the United States in May and none in June compared with 14 during the first four months of the year.

REUTERS - Japan, the world’s biggest importer of LNG, brought in 5.55 million tonnes of the fuel in June, down more than 10 percent from a year earlier, official data showed on Wednesday. That was the lowest monthly import number since May 2016.

IMF - Real GDP growth is expected to increase to 1.9 percent in 2018, with non-oil growth strengthening to 2.3 percent. Growth is expected to pick-up further over the medium-term as the reforms take hold and oil output increases. Risks are balanced in the near-term. The employment of Saudi nationals has increased, especially for women, but the unemployment rate among Saudi nationals rose to 12.8 percent in 2017.

IMF - On Venezuela, it is difficult to discuss because it is in a state of economic collapse. We have not engaged with them in over a decade on their economic policies.

FT - Capital spending in renewable power generation fell 7 per cent in 2017 compared with the previous year, owing to declines in onshore wind and hydropower investment, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. The world’s leading energy watchdog reported that overall global energy investment dropped 2 per cent in the same period.

WNN - India is in active talks with French and US companies on projects to build new nuclear power plants at Jaitapur and Kovvada, the country's minister of state, Jitendra Singh, has confirmed to parliament.

HALLIBURTON - Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) announced income from continuing operations of $511 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2018.

REUTERS - Brent crude oil LCOc1 rose $1.19 a barrel to a high of $74.26 before easing to around $74.05 by 1030 GMT. U.S. light crude CLc1 was up 70 cents at $68.96 a barrel.

NOVATEK - PAO NOVATEK (“NOVATEK” and/or the “Company”) has shipped its first cargos of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Yamal LNG project to China via the Northern Sea Route.

IEA - For the third consecutive year, global energy investment declined, to USD 1.8 trillion (United States dollars) in 2017 – a fall of 2% in real terms. The power generation sector accounted for most of this decline, due to fewer additions of coal, hydro and nuclear power capacity, which more than offset increased investment in solar photovoltaics.

EIA - Crude oil production from the major US onshore regions is forecast to increase 143,000 b/d month-over-month in July from 7,327 to 7,470 thousand barrels/day , gas production to increase 1,066 million cubic feet/day from 69,466 to 70,532 million cubic feet/day .

U.S. FRB - Industrial production rose 0.6 percent in June after declining 0.5 percent in May. For the second quarter as a whole, industrial production advanced at an annual rate of 6.0 percent, its third consecutive quarterly increase. Manufacturing output moved up 0.8 percent in June.