REUTERS - Brent crude futures were at $68.89 a barrel at 0315 GMT, up 25 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last close. Brent on Jan. 15 rose to $70.37, its highest since December 2014. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $63.61 a barrel, up 24 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last settlement. WTI climbed to $64.89 on Jan. 16, also its highest since December 2014.

WNA - Iran produced 275 TWh gross in 2014, comprising 196 TWh from gas, 59 TWh from oil, both of which it has in abundance, 14 TWh from hydro which is less reliably available, and 4.5 TWh from nuclear power. Demand is growing about 4% per year, and Iran trades electricity with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Turkmenistan and Turkey. Net export is about 6 TWh/yr. Turkey and Iraq account for 90% of exports. Consumption in 2014 was about 223 TWh, per capita about 2700 kWh/yr.In mid-2015 generating capacity was 74 GWe, including 12 GWe hydro. The country plans to boost generating capacity to 122 GWe by 2022, with substantial export potential.

WNA -The EU is the largest energy importer in the world, importing 53% of its energy, at an annual cost of around €400 billion.

GAZPROM - The TurkStream project is well underway. In accordance with the plan, it is carried out simultaneously at three sections: onshore in Russia and Turkey and offshore in the Black Sea.

NPD - Preliminary production figures for December 2017 show an average daily production of 1 932 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate, which is an increase of 26 000 barrels per day compared to November.

WNN - US must maintain a strong domestic sector by keeping its reactors operating but must also demonstrate it can build new plants, while paving the way for advanced reactors

АЛЕКСАНДР НОВАК: ОСНОВНАЯ ЗАДАЧА - СБАЛАНСИРОВАТЬ РЫНОК

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - АЛЕКСАНДР НОВАК: СОГЛАШЕНИЕ ОПЕК+ ПО ИТОГАМ 2017 ГОДА ВЫПОЛНЕНО НА 107%

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - В ходе переговоров стороны обсудили состояние и перспективы двустороннего сотрудничества в газовой сфере, а также атомной энергетике. Также главы энергетических ведомств выразили приверженность взятым договоренностям в рамках соглашения стран, входящих и не входящих в ОПЕК, по стабилизации нефтяных рынков.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - По предварительной оценке исполнение основных показателей федерального бюджета за январь - декабрь 2017 года составило: - объем поступивших доходов – 15 089 465,1 млн. рублей; - исполнение расходов – 16 425 836,5 млн. рублей.

IMF - “This macroeconomic turnaround at home and the supportive global economic environment provide a unique opportunity to carry the reform momentum into areas that have historically been hard to tackle. Deep and lasting structural reforms are needed to create jobs as speedily as needed for Egypt’s growing population,” said Subir Lall, head of the IMF team for Egypt.

PLATTS - "We need to see the confidence level of investors within the companies and financial community improving about the long-term prospects of the market, and that is why my guidance to my colleagues is that we should not limit our efforts to 2018," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said, just before he chaired a monitoring committee meeting in Oman.

REUTERS - Brent crude futures were at $69.79 a barrel at 0749 GMT, down 17 cents from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $64.45 a barrel, down 2 cents from their last settlement.

EIA expects the Henry Hub natural gas spot price to average $2.88 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2018 and $2.92/MMBtu in 2019, slightly lower than the 2017 average of $2.99/MMBtu. Lower prices in 2018 and 2019 reflect EIA’s expectation of increased natural gas production and relatively flat consumption.

WNN - Russia and Argentina have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on uranium exploration and mining in the South American country. Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom is also proposing to supply Argentina with a nuclear power plant.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «На сегодня 100 млн баррелей в сутки - общемировой спрос на нефть, а сланцевая нефть- это всего 5,7 млн барр в сутки. Это лишь один из способов удовлетворения спроса рынка».

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «Надеюсь, что к концу 2018 года рынок сбалансируется. Действия ОПЕК+ показали, что в будущем мы можем применять подобные механизмы. При этом мы настроены не только продолжать сотрудничество в рамках сокращения, но и проводить раз в полгода или год совместные консультации стран — участниц сделки с привлечением других государств».

АЛЕКСАНДР НОВАК: СПРОС НА РЫНКЕ 100 МЛН. БАРРЕЛЕЙ В ДЕНЬ

BLOOMBERG - “We’ve gotten to a point where we don’t care,” whether prices will be sustained at the level that they have recently risen to, Adeosun said during an interview in her office in the capital, Abuja. “We’ve been able to balance our budget at $45-$46 per barrel and we’ve got to learn to live comfortably at that level.”