The USA risks losing a substantial portion of its nuclear power capacity unless it takes policy action, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol told the US Senate

Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $59 per barrel (b) in January, up $2/b from December 2018 but $10/b lower than the average in January of last year.

MEOG - Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser gave a speech at London Petroleum Week about the oil and gas industry's future--or, rather its perceived lack of a future. He addressed what he called a "worrying and growing belief among policy makers and regulators, investment houses, NGOs, and many others that we are an industry with little or no future."

U.S. BEA - Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to the "initial" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 3.4 percent.

RECHARGE - The EU will spend up to €10bn ($11.37bn) supporting innovative low-carbon technologies in sectors such as renewables and energy storage over the next decade, said the European Commission.

IMF - Looking ahead, Armenia's growth is expected to moderate to about 4½ percent in 2019, reflecting a weaker global environment and copper prices, and remain in the 4-5 percent range over the medium term. CPI inflation is projected to gradually converge to the CBA’s target of 4 percent over the next two years, as one-off factors wane. The current account deficit is expected to gradually narrow to around 5 percent of GDP. The risks to the outlook are mainly external.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - “Сегодня мы видим на рынке более-менее спокойную, стабильную ситуацию, невысокую волатильность и более-менее приемлемые цены, которые устраивают и экспортеров, и потребителей. Мы считаем, что благодаря сделке, в первую очередь, достигнута такая стабильность”, - подчеркнул Александр Новак.

REUTERS - Based on current market data, the so-called OPEC+ group is “likely to continue with the production cuts until the end of the year”, the source told Reuters.

“Our industry has made a pivotal and sustained contribution to the global economy and people’s lives, around the world, day after day for over a century. Two billion more people today have access to ample, affordable, and reliable sources of energy than even just a generation ago,”

REUTERS - Mexico’s Pemex produced 1.62 million barrels of crude per day in January, less than any month in almost three decades, the state-owned oil company said on Friday, underscoring the challenges facing a government that vows to pump far more in a few years.

EXXONMOBIL - ExxonMobil said today a new partnership with Microsoft will make its Permian Basin operations the largest-ever oil and gas acreage to use cloud technology and is expected to generate billions in net cash flow over the next decade through improvements in analyses and enhancements to operational efficiencies.

МИНЭКОНОМРАЗВИТИЯ РОССИИ - Комментируя ситуацию вокруг трубопровода "Северный поток – 2", Максим Орешкин сказал, что поправки к газовой директиве ЕС не должны помешать реализации проекта. "Немецкая сторона считает, что те изменения, которые сейчас применяются, не помешают проекту. Немецкая сторона активно его поддерживает – он экономически выгоден и для Германии, и для ЕС в целом", – отметил глава Минэкономразвития.

IMF - Australia has advanced further in its economic rebalancing after the end of the mining investment boom of the 2000s. Economic growth picked up to rates above that of potential output in the first half of 2018, with solid private and public consumption and residential investment more than offsetting the drag from delays in public investment plans and drought.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - По словам Александра Новака, энергетическая отрасль всего мира сегодня нуждается в высококвалифицированных специалистах: «Мы знаем, что потребление энергии в мире будет постоянно увеличиваться, поэтому нам необходимы новейшие технологии и подготовленные специалисты», - подчеркнул значимость Центра компетенций глава Минэнерго России.

U.S. EIA - Crude oil production from the major US onshore regions is forecast to increase 84,000 b/d month-over-month in March from 8,314 to 8,398 thousand barrels/day , gas production to increase 858 million cubic feet/day from 77,109 to 77,967 million cubic feet/day .