Air strikes by forces loyal to Libya's recognized government on Saturday hit targets near the eastern oil ports of Ras Lanuf and Es-Sider to stop an advance by a rival force, officials said.

Mexico has unveiled long-awaited initial contract terms for the first 14 oil and gas areas it is auctioning in a historic tender round starting next year. They impose a ban on oil majors teaming up to bid and a five-block limit on bids from any company or consortium.

Halliburton Co. , the world’s second-largest oilfield-services company, said Thursday it will lay off 1,000 employees outside the U.S.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that the sharp fall in global oil prices is the result of "treachery," in an apparent reference to regional rival Saudi Arabia, which opposed production cuts.

Global demand for OPEC crude in 2015 is expected to fall to the lowest level in more than a decade and far below current output, the group said on Wednesday, pointing to a hefty supply surplus without OPEC output cuts or a slowdown in the U.S. shale boom.

Plunging oil prices look set to trigger another wave of industry consolidation after a decade when mega-deals were scarce, but investors want to see mergers that can squeeze out cost savings and only after a lavish dividend is paid.

Rosneft wants to step up gas production and become the second largest gas company in Russia.

EAST EUROPE SCRAMBLES FOR ENERGY AFTER PUTIN KILLS SOUTH STREAM

Renewed pressure on crude oil prices on Monday weighed heavily on the shares and bonds sold by US energy companies

The main Saudi concern is to protect market share.

At its meeting December 9, the Rosneft Board of Directors approved the main strategic objectives for Company developments.

The recent confidence in shale gas was likely premature, according to several new reports published in the US. In particular a study from the University of Texas claims the US boom will tail off by 2020 and not keep going to 2040 as previous less thorough analyses have predicted.

Europe is betting on the acceleration of the Southern Gas Corridor, which has been defined a key project along with the Vertical Corridor from Greece to Romania through Bulgaria.

The dramatic events that recently took place regarding the termination of South Stream and its replacement by the so-called 'Turk Stream' pipeline has caused shock throughout Bulgaria, which is already rife by public discontent against the current political and economic elite.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, deepened the discount at which it sells crude to Asia and the U.S., underscoring for some market watchers the kingdom’s commitment to defending its market share amid the recent rout in oil prices.