API - Strongest gasoline demand (8.9 million barrels per day, mb/d) for the month January on record since 1945. Record refinery and petrochemical demand for other oils’ in any month (5.7 mb/d) U.S. production of crude oil (11.9 mb/d) and natural gas liquids (NGLs) (4.9 mb/d) Refinery throughput (17.3 mb/d) and capacity utilization (93.1 percent) for the month of January.

EIA - Recently announced U.S. sanctions directed at Venezuela’s energy sector and state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), will essentially eliminate U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude oil as the full effects of the sanctions emerge. However, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) does not anticipate any significant decrease in U.S. refinery runs as a result of these sanctions.

SHANA - Zangeneh said Iran had outdone Qatar in recovery from the giant offshore South Pars gas field and surpassed Iraq in production from jointly owned oil reservoirs.

EIA - In November 2018, for the 19th consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year to year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in November 2018 was 2,646 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 88.2 Bcf/d. This level was 9.2 Bcf/d (11.6%) higher than the November 2017 level of 79.0 Bcf/d. The average daily rate of dry natural gas production for November was the highest for any month since EIA began tracking monthly dry natural gas production in 1973.

PLATTS - China consumed 280.30 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2018, up 18.1% year on year, the National Development and Reform Commission said on its website late Thursday. The natural gas consumption growth in 2018 outpaced the growth rate of 15.3% in 2017 and 6.6% in 2016, respectively, according to the NDRC's historical data, implying China's increasing demand for natural gas.

API - U.S. production of crude oil (11.7 mb/d) and natural gas liquids (NGLs) (4.8 mb/d); Crude oil exports (2.4 mb/d, tie with Nov. 2018);

REUTERS - Italy’s Eni and Austria’s OMV have agreed to pay a combined $5.8 billion to take a stake in Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (ADNOC) refining business and establish a new trading operation owned by the three partners.

REUTERS - In December, crude runs rose 4.4 percent from the year before to 51.17 million tonnes, or 12.05 million bpd, hovering near a record of 52.78 million tonnes racked up in October.

ENCA - Saudi Arabia's planning to build an oil refinery and a petrochemicals plant in South Africa. It's part of a $10-billion (R138-billion) investment in the country.

PLATTS - Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil giant Aramco will seek to sell around $10 billion in bonds to help fund the purchase of petrochemicals firm Sabic, Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said Sunday.

REUTERS - Saudi Arabia plans to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan’s deepwater port of Gwadar, the Saudi energy minister said on Saturday, speaking at the Indian Ocean port that is being developed with the help of China.

MEOG - King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), a 50sqkm "energy city megaproject" in Saudi Arabia, is one of the Kingdom's most impressive endeavours into localisation so far. Once operational, it is expected to generate 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and should contribute $6bn to Saudi Arabia's GDP annually.

MEOG - Saudi Aramco and Raytheon Company, through its subsidiary Raytheon Saudi Arabia, signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint venture company that will develop and provide best-in-class cybersecurity services in Saudi Arabia and the region.

MEOG - In the oil and gas industry, technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IOT), machine learning and big data can serve operators by increasing productivity and streamlining processes, all while helping them attract and retain talent, and remain secure and compliant.

OPEC - In 2019, world oil demand is anticipated to rise by 1.29 mb/d. As a result, total world oil demand is anticipated to reach 100.08 mb/d. Oil demand growth is projected to originate from Other Asia, led by India, followed China, then OECD Americas. OECD countries will rise by 0.25 mb/d, while non-OECD countries will drive oil demand growth by adding an estimated 1.04 mb/d in 2019.