China is the global leader in methanol use and has recently expanded methanol production capacity. Since the early 2000s, China’s methanol consumption in fuel products has risen sharply and is estimated to have been more than 500,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2016.

Profit attributable to NOVATEK shareholders increased by more than three-fold to RR 257.8 billion (RR 85.41 per share), as compared to RR 74.4 billion (RR 24.63 per share) in 2015. The amount of profit and its dynamics were significantly impacted by the foreign exchange effect (including at the joint ventures level), as well as the effect of the disposals of interests in joint ventures.

U.S. Rig Count is up 252 rigs from last year's count of 502, with oil rigs up 202, gas rigs up 49, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 166 rigs from last year's count of 175, with oil rigs up 123 and gas rigs up 43.

Preliminary production figures for January 2017 show an average daily production of about 2 024 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate. This is 42 000 barrels per day (about 2 percent) less than December 2016.

U.S. Rig Count is up 237 rigs from last year's count of 514, with oil rigs up 184, gas rigs up 52, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 125 rigs from last year's count of 206, with oil rigs up 85 and gas rigs up 40.

U.S. oil production will up 80 tbd, gas production will up 524 mcfd.

U.S. Rig Count is up 200 rigs from last year's count of 541, with oil rigs up 152, gas rigs up 47, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 130 rigs from last year's count of 222, with oil rigs up 89 and gas rigs up 41.

Now the human drama watch begins; will Putin cave in to the demands of the West to renounce his allies in exchange for the improved relation and the dropping of sanctions?

Iran's crude oil and condensate exports rose 3% month on month in January as it continued to regain market share, widening its appeal among refiners around the globe in the process.

Indonesia needs to invest $70 billion to $80 billion in gas infrastructure through 2030 to avoid a potential gas shortage, as domestic consumption growth outpaces supply, state-owned energy business Pertamina said Tuesday.

Benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 was up 50 cents a barrel at $55.62 per barrel by 1130 GMT. U.S. light crude CLc1 was 50 cents higher at $52.84 a barrel.

China is committed to having talks with the parties directly involved, and in accordance with historical facts and international law to peacefully resolve the issue, and that position will not change, Wang said.

India’s leading state owned oil and gas firm Indian Oil posted a net profit of rupees 153.86bn ($2.29bn) for the nine months ended December 31, 2016, compared with a net profit of rupees 92.36bn during the corresponding period of the previous year, a jump of almost 66%.

Indian ONGC reported profit of rupees 43.52bn ($0.65bn) in 3Q of fiscal 2016-17 as against rupees 14.66bn in the corresponding quarter of last year, a rise of 197%, the company said last week citing higher gross oil realisation as the primary reason.

The European Union, although reliant on Russian oil and gas, says it will never recognize Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and expects the Kremlin to abide by the Minsk peace deal brokered for eastern Ukraine.