REUTERS - The United States is tightening controls on China’s imports of civil nuclear technology to prevent use for military or other unauthorized purposes, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Thursday amid increased trade tensions.

PLATTS - Iran played down the impact of looming US sanctions on its economy with a senior official saying on Sunday that the current high oil prices should make up for any fall in oil sales, according to state-owned news agency IRNA.

PLATTS - South Korea imported no Iranian crude in September -- for the first time since September 2012 -- ahead of the looming reimposition of US sanctions on Tehran, preliminary data released by Korea Customs Service showed Monday.

BHGE - U.S. Rig Count is up 11 rigs from last week to 1,063, with oil rigs up 8 to 869, gas rigs up 4 to 193, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 1. Canada Rig Count is up 13 rigs from last week to 195, with oil rigs up 8 to 127 and gas rigs up 5 to 68.

EIA - The project is a joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell (which holds a 40% stake in the project), Petronas (25%), Mitsubishi (15%), PetroChina (15%), and Korea Gas (5%).

PLATTS - Tokyo Gas will purchase up to 0.6 million mt/year from LNG Canada for a period of 13 years from April 2026 to March 2039, delivered on an ex-ship basis with destination flexibility, Tokyo Gas added.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - Министр отметил, что Россия выступает за то, чтобы Иран как крупнейшая страна-экспортер энергоресурсов оставался участником рынка. "Мы не приемлем односторонних санкций, которые не соответствуют решениям ООН. Безусловно, нужно с юридической точки зрения оценивать дальнейшие возможности и механизмы взаимодействия с Ираном, чтобы наши компании не понесли ущерба», - отметил Министр.

U.S. BEA - The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $53.2 billion in August, up $3.2 billion from $50.0 billion in July,

U.S. BLS - The unemployment rate declined to 3.7 percent in September, and total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 134,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, in health care, and in transportation and warehousing.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is down 2 rigs from last week to 1,052, with oil rigs down 2 to 861, gas rigs unchanged at 189, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 2. Canada Rig Count is up 4 rigs from last week to 182, with oil rigs down 3 to 119 and gas rigs up 7 to 63.

REUTERS - The United States on Thursday charged seven Russian intelligence officers with conspiring to hack computers and steal data from the nuclear energy company Westinghouse Electric Co as well as anti-doping watchdogs, sporting federations and an international agency probing the use of chemical weapons.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - цифры были названы президентом РФ: мы в краткосрочном периоде можем увеличить еще на 200-300 тысяч баррелей, если при этом будет необходимость и целесообразность, потому что основная задача — баланс спроса и предложения, чтобы не нарушить равновесие на рынке, а наоборот его сохранить.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «Сейчас рынок пытается достичь баланса цен, который будет отвечать как интересам производителей, так и потребителей. И этот уровень, вероятно, чуть ниже, чем тот, что мы видим сейчас. На основной панели Российской энергетической недели президент Владимир Путин говорил о диапазоне $65-75 за баррель, который, с одной стороны, приемлем для производителей и потребителей, с другой - время позволяет возвращать деньги в отрасль для ее стабильного дальнейшего развития», - пояснил Александр Новак.

U.S. EIA - Crude oil inventories held at Cushing, Oklahoma, decreased by more than half since this time last year, recently falling to lows last reached in 2014. Logistical factors and strong demand for crude oil from both domestic refining and exports markets have contributed to the steep year-over-year decrease.

U.S. EIA - During 2017, owners and operators of U.S. nuclear power plants purchased 40 million pounds of uranium from foreign suppliers. Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan represented the top five countries of origin and together accounted for 84% of total U.S. uranium purchases in 2017.