Brent crude futures LCOc1 were trading at $50.31 per barrel at 0441 GMT, almost unchanged from their last settlement. U.S. crude CLc1 were down 5 cents at $48.94.

Brent crude LCOc1 was down 48 cents a barrel at $50.13 as of 0856 GMT, having risen in the two previous sessions. U.S. crude CLc1 was down 48 cents to $49.40.

Brent crude futures were trading at $48.84 per barrel at 0422 GMT, up 26 cents from their last settlement. U.S. crude was up 35 cents at $48.20 a barrel.

Canada's oil sands production will grow by 42 percent to 3.4 million barrels per day by 2025, most of which will come from the expansion of existing facilities rather than new projects

Oil production in Nigeria has risen to about 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd), from 1.6 million bpd, due to repairs and more than a week having passed since a major pipeline attack in the Niger Delta

“We’re looking to raise about $40 to $50 billion,” Kachikwu said in the Bloomberg interview. “Going to places like China, which have a huge capacity to put money in the oil sector, is very helpful.”

Brent crude futures were down 15 cents at $48.26 a barrel by 0238 GMT on Monday, after settling down $2.50, or 4.9 percent, at $48.41 on Friday. U.S. crude was down 25 cents at $47.39 a barrel, after closing down $2.47, or 4.9 percent, on Friday.

U.S. crude was down $2.77 at $47.34 a barrel at around 0314 GMT. Brent crude was down $2.75 at $48.16 a barrel.

"We have seen a large amount of short positions being closed while long positions have been opened," Novak said in reference to speculative bets - shorts - in the market that prices will fall, and the opposite - longs - that they will rise.

"We are glad that we've managed to maintain our positions on traditional markets, primarily in Europe," Sechin said pointing out to recent agreements with PKN Orlen to increase deliveries to Poland and the Czech Republic.

Supply and demand for oil are coming back into balance, and the response of shale producers to rising prices will help determine how high crude can go, Christof Ruehl, the global head of research at Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, said Wednesday in an interview in Dubai. Ruehl’s view that the re-balancing will take until at least the middle of 2017 contrasts with the more optimistic outlook of some industry leaders and analysts who foresee demand nearing supply by the end of this year.

"The Kingdom's oil policies are rooted in responsibility, and Saudi Arabia is seeking to maintain that balance while also giving heed to moderate prices for producers and consumers,"

With income falling, the 13 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) posted a combined current account deficit of $99.60 billion in 2015, compared with a surplus of $238.10 billion in 2014.

Brent crude futures were up 4 cents at $50.66 a barrel, after settling down 3 cents at $50.62 on Tuesday.

"We believe that the (function of) regulation has moved to three main players, which are the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia," he said.