PLATTS - Saudi Arabia will report August crude oil production of 10.424 million b/d, an OPEC source told S&P Global Platts on Friday. The figure represents a 136,000 b/d increase from July, when Saudi Arabia, OPEC's largest producer and the world's largest crude exporter, self-reported production of 10.288 million b/d.

PLATTS - OPEC's second-largest producer, Iraq, boosted its southern crude oil exports to a new record high of 3.583 million b/d in August, according to the latest oil ministry data.

IAEA - "The vision of Saudi Arabia 2030 considers nuclear energy as an important source to support stability and sustainable growth,” he said. “Deployment of nuclear energy aims for peaceful purposes, in a safe, secure and sustainable manner consistent with highest standards and best practices. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested the INIR mission to support this goal. It was a valuable tool to pinpoint areas of improvement and ensure that the required infrastructures are in place before signing the contract for building the first nuclear power plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

SHANA - Sitting atop 18% of the world's proven gas reserves, Iran ranks the first in terms of holding natural gas in the world. Owing to development of gas fields in recent years, Iran’s average gas production has reached 800 mcm/d, 600 mcm/d of which is consumed domestically.

REUTERS - Iran’s crude oil and condensate exports in August are set to drop below 70 million barrels for the first time since April 2017, well ahead of the Nov. 4 start date for a second round of U.S. economic sanctions.

FT - Saudi Arabia has cut the length of time that its state energy company has exclusive rights to the kingdom’s vast oil and gasfields, raising questions about Saudi Aramco’s long-term production and revealing a power struggle between the company and the government.

ARAB NEWS - One of the key markers of Iran's economic crisis has been the collapse in the currency, which has lost around half its value since April.

PLATTS - South Korea's crude oil imports from Iran dropped 45.8% year on year in July in the wake of the re-imposition of US sanctions, while intakes from Kazakhstan, the US and Mexico jumped as alternative sources.

REUTERS - The lawsuit filed with the ICJ says the U.S. sanctions, which are damaging the already weak Iranian economy, violate terms of a little-known friendship treaty between the two countries.

ARAB NEWS - The Government remains committed to the IPO of Saudi Aramco at a time of its own choosing when conditions are optimum. This timing will depend on multiple factors, including favorable market conditions, and a downstream acquisition which the Company will pursue in the next few months, as directed by its Board of Directors.

SAUDI ARAMCO - 2017 highlights: Produced an average of 10.2 million barrels per day of crude oil including condensate Increased amount of natural gas supplied for fourth straight year, to an average of 8.7 billion standard cubic feet per day Crude oil exports averaged 6.9 million barrels per day

ARAB NEWS - “Total has officially left the agreement for the development of phase 11 of South Pars (gas field). It has been more than two months that it announced that it would leave the contract,” he told the ICANA news agency, which is linked to the oil ministry.

WNN - Rusatom International Network - a subsidiary of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom - has signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation with the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The memorandum provides for establishing common principles of bilateral cooperation with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and other countries.

PLATTS - Saudi Arabia pumped 10.63 million b/d in July, according to the latest S&P Global Platts OPEC survey, far above its quota of 10.06 million b/d, though kingdom officials say their July output was 10.29 million b/d. Russia produced 11.22 million b/d in July, according to official data, basically erasing its 300,000 b/d pledged cut.

REUTERS - “U.S. decisions on sanctions do not affect the legal situation in Switzerland with regard to Iran,” said Fabian Maienfisch of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).