U.S. natural gas production continued to increase in August, setting a new daily production record of 92.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) on August 19, 2019,

The parties paid particular attention to the continuing expansion of gas transmission infrastructure in Serbia, highlighting the ongoing construction of the linear part of the gas pipeline stretching from the country's border with Bulgaria to its border with Hungary.

Russia exported 248 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2018, mostly via pipeline to Europe. In the next decade, its liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will almost triple to 68 bcm as the Yamal LNG project reaches full capacity and Arctic 2 LNG comes online (plus two smaller projects).

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said it attacked two plants at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry on Saturday, knocking out more than half the Kingdom’s output, in a move expected to send oil prices soaring and increase tensions in the Middle East.

Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $59 per barrel (b) in August, down $5/b from July and $13/b lower than the average from August of last year. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average $60/b in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $62/b in 2020. EIA forecasts that West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices will average $5.50/b less than Brent prices in 2020.

Вопрос транзитного договора является чрезвычайно важным, но все-таки первоочередной вопрос — будет ли Украина покупать российский газ по прямому контракту. The question of the transit contract is essential, and yet the top-priority question is whether Ukraine will buy Russian gas under a direct contract.

Over January-August, China imported a total of 63.04 million mt, or 86.93 Bcm of natural gas, up 10.3% from 57.15 million mt, or 78.81 Bcm, during the same period last year, according to the customs data.

GAZPROM, KOGAS expressed interest in further expanding their cooperation in the area of LNG and continuing their sci-tech collaboration.

GAZPROM, MITSUI discussed issues related to their cooperation, expressing appreciation for the Sakhalin II project, which turned 25 years old this year.

Saudi Aramco, the world’s most profitable company, is trying to break into the fledgling market for liquefied natural gas trading. To do so, the state-owned company is tapping its decades-old network of oil-trading contacts, selling its first two cargoes to longstanding crude customers in South Korea and India.

Arctic LNG-2 is expected to launch in 2023 and will aim to export 80 percent of its LNG to Asia, Novatek Chief Executive Leonid Mikhelson, Russia’s richest businessman according to Forbes magazine, said after the project’s partners signed a final investment decision (FID) at an economic forum.

Russia's exports of medium sweet ESPO Blend crude oil are expected to total 3.12 million mt in October, up 30% from September, according to the latest monthly loading program.

"Western sanctions have helped deepen Russia-China energy links as Chinese entities have emerged as a source of capital, which in turn has facilitated Chinese financing of the Yamal LNG project as well as the conclusion of the Power of Siberia pipeline," Dr Michal Meidan, director of the China Energy Program at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, said.

India and Russia are targeting $30 billion of annual trade by 2025, India’s foreign secretary said on Wednesday as a string of energy deals deepened economic ties between the nations.

Russia's Novatek signed two memoranda of understanding with Indian companies H-Energy Global and Petronet LNG Wednesday on cooperation on LNG supplies and production, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.