U.S. EIA - Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves in the world, in large part because of the heavy oil reserves in the Orinoco Oil Basin. In addition to oil reserves, Venezuela has sizeable natural gas reserves, although the development of natural gas lags significantly behind that of oil. However, in the wake of political and economic instability in the country, crude oil production has dramatically decreased, reaching a multi-decades low in mid-2018.

ГАЗПРОМ - в Москве в офисе ПАО «Газпром» состоялась рабочая встреча Председателя Правления Алексея Миллера и Президента Многонационального Государства Боливия Эво Моралеса.

REUTERS - Saudi Aramco plans to boost investments in refining and petrochemicals to secure new markets for its crude, and sees growth in chemicals as central to its downstream strategy to lessen the risk of a slowdown in oil demand.

OPEC - World oil demand averaged 97.20 mb/d in 2017, up by 1.7 per cent y-o-y, with the largest increases taking place in Asia and Pacific region (particularly China and India), Europe and North America. The 2017 oil demand in Africa and the Middle East grew by around 100,000 b/d, as compared to 2016, while oil demand declined in Latin America for the third year in a row.

EIA - Financial Review of the Global Oil and Natural Gas Industry: 2017 - Brent crude oil daily average prices were $54.75 per barrel in 2017—21% higher than 2016 levels - Excluding proved reserve acquisitions, upstream costs incurred increased from 2016 levels but remained lower than 2008–15 levels - Proved reserves additions in 2017 approached the highest levels in the 2008–17 period - Finding plus lifting costs fell to $29 dollars per barrel of oil equivalent in 2017, the lowest level in the 2008–17 period - The energy companies reduced debt in 2017, the first year in the 2008–17 period - Refiners with global refining assets reduced distillation capacity for the eighth consecutive year

AOG - The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has unveiled plans to invest $45bn alongside partners, over the next five years, to become a leading global downstream player.

PLATTS - China ended the first quarter of 2018 with robust apparent oil demand growth of 6.8% year on year, as stronger-than-expected GDP growth boosted consumption from the industrial and construction sectors and outweighed concerns over rising oil prices

SHELL - Shell has signed an agreement to sell its Downstream business in Argentina to Raízen for US$0.95 billion in cash proceeds at completion, subject to customary closing conditions. The sale includes the Buenos Aires Refinery, around 645 retail stations, liquefied petroleum gas, marine fuels, aviation fuels, bitumen, chemicals and lubricants businesses, as well as supply and distribution activities in the country. Additionally, after the transaction closes, the businesses acquired by Raízen will continue their relationships with Shell through various commercial agreements, which represent an estimated value of US$0.3 billion.

LUKOIL - LUKOIL has commissioned a Gas Processing Complex at the Kandym fields cluster in Uzbekistan. The official opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Aleksander Novak, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Uzbekistan Vladimir Tyurdenyov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Uzbekistan Kwon Yong Woo and the President of PJSC "LUKOIL" Vagit Alekperov.

PLATTS - India's state-run refiners and Saudi Aramco signed an agreement Wednesday to jointly build an integrated refinery and petrochemical complex on India's west coast at a cost of $44 billion, Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - Реализуется проект по строительству газопроводной инфраструктуры по дну Черного моря, две нитки «Турецкого потока» общей мощностью 31,5 млрд кубических метров газа. Речь идет об обеспечении турецких потребителей газом напрямую, а также транзите газа через Турецкую республику для европейских потребителей», - рассказал Александр Новак.

REUTERS - Indian Oil Corp plans to invest 1.43 trillion rupees ($22 billion) in next five years as the country’s top refiner seeks to raise its annual capacity to about 3.2 million barrels per day by 2030,

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «По итогам 2017 года в результате более высоких цен, чем в 2016 году, а они были выше почти на 11 долларов и составили в среднем 54,7 доллара за баррель нефти, бюджет Российской Федерации получил дополнительно порядка 1 триллиона 200 миллиардов рублей, компании получили около 500 миллиардов рублей. Общая экспортная выручка была выше примерно на 31 миллиард долларов именно по нефти и по газу в результате более высоких цен. Это позитивно повлияло, в том числе и на инвестиционные программы», - сказал Министр.

SAUDI ARAMCO - Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), the national oil company of Malaysia, and Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, are pleased to announce the formation of two joint ventures for the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project.

SHELL - Shell reiterated its expectation of $6-7 billion annual organic free cash flow from Downstream by 2020, at $60 per barrel (real terms 2016) and mid-cycle Downstream conditions, with $9-12 billion expected by 2025. The company plans to invest $7-9 billion a year across Downstream, and to deliver a return on average capital employed (ROACE) above 15%.