The Chinese, through a statement by the Foreign Ministry last Sunday, said the two countries “have overlapping claims for maritime rights and interest.”

72.4% of the overall scope of the work is done, which is ahead of schedule by about 2.5%. $12bn have been spent to date from total SD2 cost estimate of $24bn including an inflation rate for the period 2014-2020

"Turkey needs to diversify its imported energy resources. Turkey's approach to Russia will bear fruit in early October. The feasibility of the Turk Stream natural gas pipeline project, which Putin proposed in late 2014, may begin later this year. If all things go smoothly, we may see the Russian molecules in early 2019 via a new pipeline,"

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.

Directors urged the authorities to accelerate structural reforms to boost growth and employment creation and facilitate income convergence with the EU. They highlighted the need to advance privatization and enhance the efficiency of the public sector, while removing bureaucratic impediments to doing business. Other priorities include further enhancing labor market flexibility to increase labor participation. Directors noted the importance of building political consensus to ensure broad support for the reforms.

"On the issue of territory and disputes over maritime delineation, China does not accept any dispute resolution from a third party and does not accept any dispute resolution forced on China."

"Memorandum of understandings (MoUs) worth over $80 billion to be spent on investments in oil and gas infrastructure, pipelines, refineries, power, facility refurbishments and upstream have been signed with Chinese companies,"

The Tangguh Expansion Project will also bring a positive contribution to Indonesia and the Papua Barat Province starting in 2016, supporting economic growth and providing 10,000 valuable jobs spread over the project period.

Gazprom will send some of the gas from its controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline through Slovakia, the Russian state-controlled company said, in a move that may soften Slovak opposition to the project.

Eustream said June 30 that it welcomed assurances from Gazprom at the meetings that the Slovak and the Czech gas transmission systems will be used in long term even if NS2 is built. Eustream said also it “highly appreciates the understanding between both parties that the entry point from Ukraine to Slovakia shall remain fully functional even if NS2 is commissioned.”

Midway through 2016, U.S. pipeline exports to Mexico have been increasing substantially. Daily PointLogic data show that year-to-date, pipeline exports to Mexico have averaged 3.5 Bcf/d, 37% above year ago levels and 89% above the five-year (2011–15) average level. Mexico’s growing use of natural gas in the power sector and flat-to-declining production have led Mexico to increase its pipeline imports. At the same time, the growth in power burn has been driven by the increased availability of low natural gas prices as a result of the infrastructure buildout.

Monthly average crude oil prices for April rose in all categories of sale. The average domestic crude oil first purchase price increased $3.72 (11.7%), to $35.59 per barrel.

U.S. Rig Count is up 10 rigs from last week to 431, with oil rigs up 11 to 341, gas rigs down 1 to 89, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1. Canadian Rig Count is unchanged from last week at 76, with oil rigs down 1 to 35, gas rigs up 1 to 40, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1.

The company said this week in a presentation on its website that the decision on expanding the Tengiz development in Kazakhstan will be made in mid-2016. Installing 4,500 camp beds for construction crews is done and port dredging 25 percent complete, it said. The project may cost as much as $40 billion and add crude supply equivalent to that of Libya. The investment was put on hold last year after cost estimates ballooned amid plunging oil prices.

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.

US crude oil production during April amounted to 8.933 million b/d, a decline of 2.5% from the March average and 7.9% from the April 2015 average.

To make matters worse, evidence suggests that, after controlling for income levels, the responsiveness of consumption to income gains for most of the income distribution has weakened in recent years. This puts further downward pressure on consumption. Combined, these effects are estimated to translate to about 3½ percentage points of lost U.S. consumption over 1998–2013—equivalent to more than one year of total consumption growth.

China and Saudi Arabia discussed growth prospects and areas of cooperation and found mutual interests in crude oil storage, logistics, infrastructure, industrial development, mining, technology, energy, renewables and sovereign wealth funds, according to the ministry statement.

Gazprom's gas sales in Europe in the first half of 2016 rose by 14.2%, or 10.6 Bcm, compared with the same period of last year, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said Thursday, signaling a sharp slowdown in export growth in the second quarter of this year.

The United States holds more recoverable oil reserves than Saudi Arabia and Russia thanks in large part to its shale oil, Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy said in a report.