XINHUA - China imported 4.71 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in August, up 51.5 percent year on year, the country's customs authority said Sunday.

OPEC - The JMMC noted that, despite growing uncertainties surrounding market fundamentals, including the economy, demand and supply, the participating producing countries of the DoC continue to seek a balanced and sustainably stable global oil market, serving the interests of consumers, producers, the industry and the global economy at large. The Committee also expressed its satisfaction regarding the current oil market outlook, with an overall healthy balance between supply and demand.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - Стороны обсудили двустороннее взаимодействие в нефтегазовой сфере. В частности, деятельность на территории Алжира ряда российских компаний («Газпром», «Стойтрансгаз»), а также сотрудничество в электроэнергетике.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «Благодаря нашей с Вами работе, прежде всего по линии ОПЕК+, отношения между нашими странами значительно укрепились. Видим постоянно растущую заинтересованность российских компаний в налаживании более тесных связей с саудовскими партнерами. Это особенно важно в свете той ответственной роли, которую наши страны играют на региональной и международной арене, особенно в сфере энергетики», - сказал глава энергетического ведомства.

API - “Placing constraints on exports of American-made energy works against America’s energy future,” said API Chief Economist Dean Foreman. “While the picture is still a bit muddied, it seems to be getting clearer – the trade war appears to be limiting the United States’ access to crude export markets. As we produce more energy here at home, the U.S. needs markets for its products in order for our economy to continue to grow. There’s no question that the 1.6 MBD increase U.S. petroleum net imports, which undid a full year’s worth progress, is a setback to the United States’ goal of energy dominance.”

ARAB NEWS - Saudi's Aramco Trading Company (ATC) expects to increase its oil trading volume to 6 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2020, 50 percent higher than current levels, the company's top official said on Monday.

REUTERS - Benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 hit its highest since November 2014 at $80.94 per barrel, up $2.14 or 2.7 percent, before easing to around $80.75 by 1150 GMT. U.S. light crude CLc1 was $1.25 higher at $72.03.

U.S. EIA - Crude oil surpassed hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) to become the largest U.S. petroleum export, with 1.8 million barrels per day (b/d) of exports in the first half of 2018. U.S. crude oil exports increased by 787,000 b/d, or almost 80%, from the first half of 2017 to the first half of 2018 and set a new monthly record of 2.2 million b/d in June.

GAZPROM - The parties discussed strategic cooperation, focusing on Russian gas exports. It was noted that, according to estimates, in the period from January 1 through September 23, 2018, Gazprom had delivered 7.8 billion cubic meters of gas to Austria, an increase of 34.5 per cent from the same period of last year.

NOVATEK - PAO NOVATEK (“NOVATEK” and/or the “Company”) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, NOVATEK Gas and Power Asia Pte. Ltd. has shipped its first LNG cargo to the Brazilian market with LNG produced from the Yamal LNG project. The cargo was delivered to the Bahia Regasification Terminal owned by Petrobras.

SHANA - Iran’s OPEC governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebily said regarding the current market conditions and the production level of the producing countries in or outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), threats to bring Iran’s oil exports are not practical.

OGJ - Total SA made a natural gas discovery on the Glendronach prospect offshore UK West of Shetland that it believes can be commercialized quickly and at low cost by leveraging the existing Laggan-Tormore infrastructure.

OPEC - Total primary energy demand is expected to increase by 91 mboe/d between 2015 and 2040 to reach 365 mboe/d in 2040

REUTERS - Brent crude futures were down 4 cents at $81.83 a barrel by 0342 GMT, after gaining nearly 1 percent the previous session. Brent rose on Tuesday to its highest since November 2014 at $82.55 per barrel. U.S. crude futures were down 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $72.15 a barrel. They rose 0.3 percent on Tuesday to close at their highest level since July 11.

REUTERS - Exports of crude oil and condensates have declined by 0.8 million barrels a day (mbd) from April to September 2018, the IIF, which represents major banks and financial institutions from around the world, said.

Есть несколько факторов, которые влияют на принятие решения по наращиванию или снижению добычи, пояснил Александр Новак. «С одной стороны, мы видим, что на рынке появляется небольшой дефицит по мере того, как снижается добыча в Венесуэле, а санкции влияют на Иран, но с другой стороны, не стоит забывать про сезонность спроса», - напомнил Министр.

«На сегодняшний день уровень исполнения соглашения составляет 129%. Это означает, что общий объем добычи сокращен относительно декабря 2016 года на 2 млн. 50 тыс. баррелей в сутки. Я думаю, что в течении ближайших месяцев мы окончательно достигнем тех целей, которые поставили перед собой в июне этого года», - отметил Александр Новак.

TOGY - Qatar is seeking to expand its LNG capacity via the addition of four trains, targeting 110 million tonnes per year (tpy) by 2023.

FRB - In view of realized and expected labor market conditions and inflation, the Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 2 to 2-1/4 percent.

PLATTS - Norway's state-owned power company Statkraft is planning annual investments of around NOK10 billion ($1.2 billion, Eur1 billion) in renewable energy in the period 2019-2025, it said.