With prices still languishing below the $55-$60/b that some ministers have said they are targeting, some market watchers say OPEC and its non-OPEC partners have no choice but to deepen cuts to make up for output gains from exempt Nigeria and Libya, as well as sliding compliance from other members.

"The legislation, if enacted, is a big political win for members of Congress who want to take a strong stance on Russia," Elizabeth Rosenberg, a senior fellow and director of the energy, economics and security program at the Center for a New American Security, said Sunday. "It will rearrange the way the global energy industry does business with Russia and significantly increase the risk around dealings with Russia."

Russia was China's biggest crude oil supplier for a fourth straight month in June, its longest streak ever in the top spot, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Monday.

Non-oil growth is projected to pick up to 1.7 percent in 2017, but overall real GDP growth is expected to be close to zero as oil GDP declines in line with Saudi Arabia’s commitments under the OPEC+ agreement.

U.S. Rig Count is up 488 rigs from last year's count of 462, with oil rigs up 393, gas rigs up 98, and miscellaneous rigs down 3 to 0. Canadian Rig Count is up 104 rigs from last year's count of 102, with oil rigs up 70, gas rigs up 35, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0.

International benchmark Brent crude futures were at $49.28 per barrel 0501 GMT, down 2 cents from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $46.89 per barrel, down 3 cents.

EIA forecasts that total U.S. crude oil production will average 9.3 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2017, up 0.5 million b/d from 2016. In 2018, crude oil production is expected to reach an average of 9.9 million b/d, which would surpass the previous record of 9.6 million b/d set in 1970.

Australia's LNG exports in fiscal 2017-2018 (July-June) will be 63 million mt, after it crossed, for the first time, 50 million mt in fiscal 2016-2017, energy consultancy EnergyQuest said in its forecast on Wednesday.

The move fulfills a plan, first outlined in February, to create an Indian oil giant through consolidation and mergers, forming a company comparable with international rivals that could weather crude-price volatility.

CHINA’S installed solar power capacity surged over the first half year amid shrinking costs and government policies. Over the first six months, 23.6 gigawatts of solar power were installed, 34.2 percent higher from a year ago, UBS said yesterday, adding that it was “far more than expected as most domestic analysts predicted at the beginning of the year that only 20-25 gigawatts would be added for the whole year.”

Brent crude futures LCOc1, the international benchmark, were up 11 cents at $48.95 per barrel at 0925 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 were at $46.50 per barrel, up 10 cents.

Для меня создание технологий добычи на шельфе — больший приоритет, чем исключительно наращивание объемов добычи, которое мы можем получить в ближайшие годы. Потому что технологии необходимы для решения стратегических задач.

Crude oil production from the seven major US onshore regions is projected to rise 113,000 b/d month-over-month in August to 5.585 million b/d.

While US demand for gas is rising because of higher industrial consumption, more than half of the production increase will be used for LNG for export. By 2022, IEA estimates that the US will be on course to challenge Australia and Qatar for global leadership among LNG exporters.

US Energy Sec. Rick Perry observed, “History teaches us that the world is not stagnant. Mexico had one of its biggest natural gas discoveries in history last week. I’ve just returned from talks with government leaders there, and I believe Mexico will become an even bigger oil and gas supplier as we go about building this new North American energy partnership.”