PLATTS - India ended the first quarter of 2018 with robust oil products demand growth of 8.5%, the fastest quarterly growth since Q3 2016, as a renewed push on infrastructure projects and surging auto sales lifted gasoline and gasoil consumption.

BHGE - Baker Hughes, a GE company Announces First Quarter 2018 Results Revenue of $5.4 billion for the quarter, down 7% sequentially and up 1% year-over-year on a combined business basis GAAP operating loss of $41 million for the quarter, decreased 63% sequentially and increased unfavorably year-over-year on a combined business basis Adjusted operating income (a non-GAAP measure) of $228 million for the quarter, down 20% sequentially and down 19% year-over-year on a combined business basis

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 5 rigs from last week to 1,013, with oil rigs up 5 to 820, gas rigs unchanged at 192, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1. Canada Rig Count is down 9 rigs from last week to 93, with oil rigs down 3 to 38 and gas rigs down 6 to 55.

API - natural gas and oil drilling and completions rose more than 35 percent over 2017 levels signaling the strength of the U.S. natural gas and oil industry. In addition, the success rate for exploration of natural gas and oil was more than 60 percent, the highest rate since 2009.

NPD - Preliminary production figures for March 2018 show an average daily production of 1 901 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is a decrease of 46 000 barrels per day compared to February.

REUTERS - Offshore oil driller Seadrill (SDRL.OL) plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late June or early July to catch the rising wave of rig market activity, its chief executive told said on Wednesday.

PLATTS - "Our collaboration will be a win-win for all," Pradhan told reporters. Pradhan said India offers attractive oil and gas markets for the US as the country is the fastest-growing large economy, with 8% annual growth in energy consumption.

EIA - Crude oil production from the major US onshore regions is forecast to increase 125,000 b/d month-over-month in May from 6,871 to 6,996 thousand barrels/day , gas production to increase 1,078 million cubic feet/day from 65,829 to 66,907 million cubic feet/day .

AOG - Kuwait plans to invest $113bn over the next five years to enhance oil exploration and production activities both inside and outside the country

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 5 rigs from last week to 1,008, with oil rigs up 7 to 815, gas rigs down 2 to 192, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1. Canada Rig Count is down 9 rigs from last week to 102, with oil rigs down 7 to 41 and gas rigs down 2 to 61.

INVESTOPEDIA - All of Fred Koch's four sons have become billionaires as a result of the unprecedented growth of the family business. In fact, according to Forbes' real-time net worth estimator, Charles and David Koch alone have a combined net worth of $96.6 billion as of November 2017. The two brothers are the only members of the family's second generation who still play an active role in the management of the company.

EIA - Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $66 per barrel (b) in March. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average about $63/b in both 2018 and 2019. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices to average $4/b lower than Brent prices in both 2018 and 2019. NYMEX WTI futures and options contract values for July 2018 delivery that traded during the five-day period ending April 5, 2018, suggest a range of $52/b to $78/b encompasses the market expectation for July 2018 WTI prices at the 95% confidence level.

EIA - Iran holds the world’s fourth-largest proved crude oil reserves and the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves. Despite its abundant reserves, Iran’s crude oil production has undergone years of underinvestment and effects of international sanctions. Natural gas production has expanded, the growth has been lower than expected. Since the lifting of sanctions that targeted Iran’s oil sector, oil production has reached more than 3.8 million barrels per day in 2017.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 10 rigs from last week to 1,003, with oil rigs up 11 to 808, gas rigs unchanged at 194, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 1. Canada Rig Count is down 23 rigs from last week to 111, with oil rigs down 23 rigs to 48 and gas rigs unchanged at 63.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - The worldwide rig count for March 2018 was 2,179, down 92 from the 2,271 counted in February 2018, and up 194 from the 1,985 counted in March 2017.