PLATTS - "At end of the day as important as Russia and Saudi Arabia are in terms of the largest countries, we have to be sensitive to views of all countries and will be consulting with all of them," Falih told a key energy session at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

PLATTS - "With Saudi Arabia stressing the need for more capex to meet future oil demand and replace the natural decline from aging fields, and thus presumably a higher price to incentivize investment, supply cuts, in one form or another, may be extended to 2019," the note said.

PLATTS - China's state-run oil trader Unipec has purchased around 16 million barrels of US crude oil for loading in June, marking the biggest volume ever to be lifted in a month by the company, informed sources said

GAZPROM - It seems that putting renewables ahead of everything else doesn’t accomplish anything in today’s world. And striving for a total decarbonization of the global economy is downright quixotic. One should understand that fossil fuels will continue to play an essential role in the next 20 years.

BLOOMBERG - The agreement between Gazprom PJSC and the European Commission gives gas buyers more flexibility in handling imports and greater leverage to push for lower prices. That’s likely to make flows from Russia more attractive than alternatives such as expensive new links to fields at Europe’s southeast corner or tanker shipments of liquefied natural gas.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 13 rigs from last week to 1,059, with oil rigs up 15 to 859, gas rigs down 2 to 198, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 2. Canada Rig Count is down 2 rigs from last week to 81, with oil rigs down 3 to 35 and gas rigs up 1 to 46.

Speech by Alexey Miller on St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

REUTERS - Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $78.63 per barrel at 0534 GMT, down 16 cents from their last close, and more than 2.2 percent below the $80.50 multi-year high they reached on May 17. Brent broke through $80 for the first time in more than three years earlier in May. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $70.60 a barrel, down 11 cents from their last settlement.

FT - "We will discuss the current situation, the outlook and possible further actions to be taken within the framework of our deal. Speaking of relaxing the deal: it is possible but should be based on a thorough analysis of the situation," Mr Novak told the Financial Times. "Generally speaking, we are quite flexible."

FT - Gazprom’s deputy chairman Alexander Medvedev said the company was “satisfied with the commitments decision” and was “always committed to co-operate in good faith in order to find a constructive, mutually acceptable solution”.

REUTERS - The head of Ukraine’s Naftogaz said on Thursday EU-mediated talks over future Russian gas transit via the country to Europe must include Gazprom and must be based on firm commitments.

NOVATEK - At the 22nd Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, in the presence of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the President of France Emmanuel Macron, Chairman of the Management Board of PAO NOVATEK (“NOVATEK”) Leonid Mikhelson and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TOTAL S.A. (“TOTAL”) Patrick Pouyanné signed a binding agreement on the terms to enter the Arctic LNG 2 project.

REUTERS - Brent LCOc1 futures fell 43 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $79.14 a barrel by 0218 GMT, after climbing 35 cents on Tuesday. Last week, the global benchmark hit $80.50 a barrel, the highest since November 2014. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures eased 25 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $71.95 a barrel, having climbed on Tuesday to $72.83 a barrel, the highest since November 2014.

FT - Most oil majors can now cover dividends and capital expenditure at prices around $50 per barrel, meaning that, at $80, they make a healthy surplus.

EIA - The United States remained the world's top producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons in 2017, reaching a record high. The United States has been the world's top producer of natural gas since 2009, when U.S. natural gas production surpassed that of Russia, and the world's top producer of petroleum hydrocarbons since 2013, when U.S. production exceeded Saudi Arabia’s. Since 2008, U.S. petroleum and natural gas production has increased by nearly 60%.