SHELL - Royal Dutch Shell plc (“Shell”) announces an agreement to sell its entire stake in Canadian Natural Resources Limited (“Canadian Natural”)

REUTERS - Iraq’s state-run North Oil Company signed an agreement with BP on Monday to triple output from the Kirkuk fields in the north of the country, Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said.

REUTERS - Saudi Arabia’s first quarter budget deficit stood at 34.3 billion Saudi riyals ($9.15 billion), around 18 percent of the total gap forecast for 2018, the finance ministry said

BLOOMBERG - The world’s biggest oil buyer imported 9.64 million barrels a day in April, according to data released by Beijing-based General Administration of Customs on Tuesday. That’s about 4 percent higher than March and beat a previous record of 9.61 million barrels per day reached in January. For the month of April, total purchases were 39.46 million metric tons.

REUTERS - U.S. crude futures last traded at $70.11 per barrel, down 0.9 percent from Monday’s settlement price. Global benchmark Brent crude futures stood at $75.64 per barrel, down 0.7 percent, having risen as high as $76.34 on Monday.

EIA - Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $72 per barrel (b) in April, an increase of $6/b from the March level and the first time monthly Brent crude oil prices have averaged more than $70/b since November 2014. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average $71/b in 2018 and $66/b in 2019, which are $7/b and $3/b higher, respectively, than in the April

WNN - The 128 nuclear power reactors - with a combined capacity of 119 GWe - currently operating in 14 of the 28 EU Member States account for more than one-quarter of the electricity generated in the whole of the EU.

U.S. DT - President Donald J. Trump announced his decision to cease the United States’ participation in the JCPOA and begin reimposing U.S. nuclear-related sanctions on the Iranian regime. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking immediate action to implement the President’s decision. Sanctions will be reimposed subject to certain 90 day and 180 day wind-down periods. At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect.

PLATTS - Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid al-Falih said Wednesday that the country would work closely with OPEC as well as non-OPEC producers to mitigate the impact of any shortages that might arise following the US' decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

PETROBRAS - Net income attributable to the shareholders of Petrobras was US$ 2,145 million in 1Q-2018, a 51% increase compared to US$ 1,417 million in 1Q-2017. The result improved mainly due to increase in Brent prices and gains with divestments.

BLOOMBERG - India sees a greater probability of global crude oil prices remaining high for a longer period, a scenario that threatens to dent growth and fan inflation in Asia’s third-largest economy.

PRNEWSWIRE - Charles and David Koch of Kansas are the wealthiest individuals in America's oil and gas sector, with a combined net worth of US$83 billion, according to a Wealth-X Top 10 list that includes billionaires from Texas, New York and Oklahoma.

INVESTOPEDIA - The Koch brothers have become well-known for their libertarian and conservative politics, and are often portrayed as significant personalities that impact elections and government decisions.

INVESTOPEDIA - All of Fred Koch's four sons have become billionaires as a result of the unprecedented growth of the family business. In fact, according to Forbes' real-time net worth estimator, Charles and David Koch alone have a combined net worth of $96.6 billion as of November 2017. The two brothers are the only members of the family's second generation who still play an active role in the management of the company.

FORBES - Человек, который, по оценке Forbes, входит в число 50 самых влиятельных людей в мире, топ-20 самых богатых и, пожалуй, в дюжину самых ненавидимых людей на планете, постоянно рефлексирует. Однако, учитывая, что Чарльзу Коху исполнилось 77 лет, это простительно. Простительно потому, что недавно он назвал президентские выборы «виной всех войн», и потому, что Koch Industries является второй крупнейшей частной компанией в Америке (после Cargill) с выручкой $115 млрд.

REUTERS - Brent crude futures were up 29 cents at $77.50 a barrel by 0933 GMT, having gained 3.5 percent so far this week, the largest weekly increase since mid-April. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 42 cents at $71.56 a barrel.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 13 rigs from last week to 1,045, with oil rigs up 10 to 844, gas rigs up 3 to 199, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 2. Canada Rig Count is down 7 rigs from last week to 79, with oil rigs down 5 to 32 and gas rigs down 2 to 47.

IAEA - As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran.

LUKOIL - LUKOIL and the Basra Oil Company signed a Development Plan of West Qurna-2 field that provides for an oil production plateau of 800 thousand barrels per day. According to the Plan, the oil production of 480 thousand barrels per day will be reached in 2020 and 800 thousand barrels per day is expected in 2025.

PLATTS - Trump's plan to leave the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions could have major impacts for global oil, natural gas, metals and petrochemical markets.