NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW - Annual gas exports from Kazakhstan to China are set to double in 2019, as Beijing moves to cushion the impact of its trade war with the U.S.

PLATTS - Bangladesh is expecting first lean LNG imports from Oman Trading International from May 2019, as part of a sales and purchase agreement signed in May 2018 for 1 million mt/year of LNG over 10 years, managing director with state-owned Rupantorita Praktritik Gas Company Md Quamruzzaman said

REUTERS - Miners churned out 306.01 million tonnes of coal last month, up 3.2 percent from 296.6 million tonnes in August and up 5.2 percent from the same time last year, according to the data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

REUTERS - French energy group Total and China’s CNOOC have strengthened their existing partnership in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector to increase their output, the companies said on Monday.

PLATTS - Bangladesh has terminated talks with Indian utility Reliance Power to build a new floating storage and regasification unit for LNG imports at Kutubdia Island near Chattogram port, a senior official at the LNG Cell said Thursday.

NIKKEI ASIAN REWIEW - China is expected to become the world's biggest importer of natural gas for the first time in 2018, overtaking longtime leaders Japan and South Korea.

REUTERS - Exxon Mobil Corp is placing big bets on China’s soaring liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand, coupling multi-billion dollar production projects around the world with its first mainland storage and distribution outlet.

WNN - China and Belgium have signed a framework agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The agreement was one of several accords signed in Brussels yesterday during a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

PLATTS - India will be looking to ship in more crude oil from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to fill part of the vacuum created by reduced appetite for supplies from Iran, which is facing US sanctions, according to delegates and policy makers attending the India Energy Forum by CERAWeek.

MEOG - Judaimi highlighted that the closer cooperation between Saudi Aramco and Indian energy entities is reflected in the partnership with RRPCL and ADNOC on the Ratnagiri mega-refinery and petrochemicals complex in Maharashta this year. He noted that nearly $2 billion in material-service sourcing with Indian companies to date; and the opening of the Aramco Asia India office in 2017.

PLATTS - Petrobras is to form two joint venture companies with China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) to complete construction of a refinery and revitalize four mature fields in the offshore Campos Basin, the state-owned Brazilian company said

WNN - The US Department of Energy (DOE) has established a new policy framework on civil nuclear cooperation with China, following a government policy review led by the US National Security Council. The policy covers exports of technology, equipment and components, and material to China.

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 - 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.

WNN - The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Agency (VAEA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to allow further collaboration between the two organisations.