US Rig Count Dips
U.S. energy firms this week reduced the number of oil rigs operating for the first time in three weeks as production growth forecasts from shale, the country's largest oil fields, continue to shrink.Drillers cut eight oil rigs in the week to April 18, bringing the total count down to 825, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Thursday.Baker Hughes released the report a day early this week due to the Good Friday holiday.The U.S. rig count, an early indicator of future output…
Oil Prices Rise on Lower U.S. Stocks, OPEC+ Supply Cuts
Oil prices rose slightly on Thursday, boosted by a decline in U.S. inventories, ongoing supply cuts from OPEC and its allies, and U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and Iran.Brent crude futures were at $71.80 a barrel at 1313 GMT, up 18 cents from their last close and near Wednesday's five-month high of $72.27 a barrel.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $63.83 per barrel, up 7 cents.Both contracts traded slightly lower earlier in the day.U.S. crude inventories fell by 1.4 million barrels in the week to April 12, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed on Wednesday."The latest weekly statistics on U.S.
Oil Edges Above $71
Oil held above $71 a barrel on Tuesday, supported by falling Venezuelan and Iranian exports and fighting in Libya that raised concerns of more supply threats, outweighing expectations of higher U.S. inventories.In Libya, fighting between Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army and the internationally-recognised government has raised the prospect of lower supplies from another OPEC member. U.S. sanctions on two others, Iran and Venezuela, are cutting shipments."Collapsing Venezuelan oil output and sanctioned Iranian exports have a put big question mark over supply…
Oil Slips from Five-Month High
Oil slipped from a five-month high above $71 a barrel on Tuesday as Russian comments signalling the possible easing of a supply-cutting deal with OPEC countered concern that violence in Libya could further tighten global markets.Supply curbs led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries have underpinned a more than 30 percent rally this year for Brent crude, despite downward pressure from fears of an economic slowdown and weaker demand.Brent, the global benchmark, rose to $71.34 a barrel, the highest since November, but by 1349 GMT was down 59 cents at $70.51. U.S.
Oil Hits Five-month High
Oil prices rose to a five-month high on Monday, driven by expectations that global supplies would tighten due to fighting in Libya, OPEC-led cuts and U.S. sanctions against Iran and Venezuela.International benchmark Brent futures rose 74 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $71.08 a barrel by 12:56 p.m. EDT (1656 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up $1.19 to $64.27 a barrel, a 1.9 percent gain.Brent's session high of $71.16 a barrel and WTI's of $64.39 were the highest since November.Traders said prices extended gains after data from market intelligence firm Genscape showed crude stockpiles at Cushing…
Russia Signals OPEC Should Raise Output
One of the key Russian officials to foster a supply pact with OPEC, Kirill Dmitriev, signaled on Monday Russia wanted to raise oil output when it meets with OPEC in June because of improving market conditions and falling stockpiles.Dmitriev, head of the Russian state's direct investment fund, was the first Russian official to predict a deal with OPEC in 2016 and since then became a key defender of the pact despite pressure from domestic oil firms to drop the agreement.Dmitriev, an envoy for Moscow in the Middle East in general and Saudi Arabia in particular, had in recent months said it was still too early to terminate output cuts, echoing the position
Fire Breaks Out at Kazakhstan Oilfield
A fire has broken out at the onshore Kalamkas oilfield in Kazakhstan's western Mangistau province, the country's emergencies committee said on Monday.MangistauMunaiGas (MMG), the company which operates the field and is owned by Kazakh state energy firm KazMunayGaz and China's CNPC, could not be reached for comment.KazMunayGaz said it would comment on the incident and its impact on oil output on Tuesday.Videos posted by area locals online showed raging fire - which broke out at one of Kalamkas wells before dawn - rising about…
US Rig Cuts Continue
U.S. energy firms this week reduced the number of oil rigs operating for a fifth week in a row to its lowest in nearly a year as independent producers follow through on plans to cut spending on new drilling with the government cutting its growth forecasts for shale output.Drillers cut nine oil rigs in the week to March 22, bringing the total count down to 824, the lowest since April 2018, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday.That is the first time the rig count has declined for five weeks in a row since May 2016 when it fell for eight consecutive weeks.More than half the total U.S.
Oil Prices Reach 2019 Highs
Oil prices rose to new 2019 highs on Tuesday, supported by OPEC supply cuts and falling output from Iran and Venezuela because of U.S. sanctions.Brent crude oil futures were up 16 cents at $67.70 a barrel at 1415 GMT, having earlier risen to a 2019 peak of $68.20, their highest since November 2018.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were at $59.17, up 8 cents from their last settlement. They also touched their highest since November at $59.57.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Monday scrapped its planned meeting in April…
Oil Edges Above $67
Oil edged further above $67 a barrel on Monday, supported by the prospect of prolonged OPEC-led oil supply curbs though concern that an economic downturn may dent fuel consumption curbed gains.OPEC and non-OPEC ministers who met in Azerbaijan to monitor their oil supply-cut accord said they planned to exceed their commitments. Saudi Arabia signaled OPEC may need to extend the curbs until the end of the year.Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 20 cents to $67.36 a barrel at 1207 GMT. It reached a 2019 high of $68.14 last week. U.S.
Rising US Oil Clout on Show in Houston
A glance at the attendee list at one of the world's largest energy industry events in Houston this week left little question about the growing influence of the United States over global oil politics.Present: top U.S. diplomat Mike Pompeo. Absent: leading Saudi and Russian officials, and most OPEC nations.As the United States weans itself off foreign oil imports - thanks to booming domestic production - the complex web of politics and business interests that have shaped decades of Washington's energy diplomacy in the Middle East and beyond is changing.That shift was unmistakable in Houston this week.In his keynote address…
US Rig Count Lowest Since April 2018
U.S. energy firms this week reduced the number of oil rigs operating for a fourth week in a row with drilling slowing to its lowest in nearly a year, prompting the government to cut crude output growth forecasts.Drillers cut one oil rig in the week to March 15, bringing the total count down to 833, the lowest since April 2018, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday.That is the first time the rig count has declined for four weeks in a row since May 2016 when it fell for eight consecutive weeks.The U.S.
Oman: Gas Production to Surpass Oil by 2023
Oman’s gas production levels are set to surpass oil by 2023 thanks to an impressive surge in the development of gas fields in the sultanate, according to Rystad Energy, the independent energy research and consulting firm headquartered in Norway.“Gas is on the rise in the Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, and this transition is very timely. Oil output declines over the last two years may indicate a point of no return for Omani oil, but the country’s sliding oil production is set to be replaced by gas…
US Shale Firms Cut CapEx, Up Production
U.S. shale energy companies are cutting their spending levels in 2019, but they're still planning on increased oil and gas output."US shale companies expect to deliver an average of 15% growth in oil production in 2019 vs. 2018. At the same time, operators say they will cut capital spending by 5% this year," said an analysis from Rystad Energy.The energy research and business intelligence company has analyzed the recently released earnings reports for the fourth quarter of 2018 from 45 US operators, which also included their…
CNPC to Develop New Shale Oilfield
China's state-owned CNPC has started developing a new offshore shale oilfield near the Bohai Rim Basin, the company said via its official newspaper on Thursday.CNPC aims to produce 50,000 tonnes of shale oil from the Bohai Rim Basin in 2019 and to achieve production capacity of 1 million tonnes by 2028.The new drilling venture is in response to president Xi Jinping's call to step up national energy security, CNPC said.Shale oil production from China's continental crust created huge technological difficulties because of the unique geological formations…
Pemex Shrugs off Losses; Eyes New Oilfields
Mexico's national oil company Pemex narrowed its multibillion-dollar losses last year, executives said on Wednesday, as it seeks to fast-track the development of 20 new fields this year in a bid to bring new streams of crude online.Long a source of Mexican pride and a potent political symbol, the state-owned company faces an increasingly uncertain future as oil output slides, leaving it with a $7.6 billion loss in 2018."In 2019, Pemex's main objective is to stabilize crude oil production," Ulises Hernandez, a senior executive with the company's exploration and production arm…
Aker Energy Eyes IPO
Norwegian oil company Aker said on Thursday that its exploration start-up in Ghana will submit development plans to Ghanaian authorities in March and the parent will then decide whether to sell stakes via an initial public offering or other means.The subsidiary, Aker Energy, plans to develop the deepwater Pecan field off Ghana."Depending on the approval process in Ghana, we believe the first oil is achievable in late 2020 or early 2021," Aker's Chief Executive Oeyvind Eriksen told Reuters during an earnings presentation.A recent appraisal had confirmed contingent resources of 450 million-550 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) at the field…
Oil Rises After Saudi Pledge, Declining U.S. Inventories
Oil prices rose on Wednesday after top exporter Saudi Arabia said it would cut crude exports and deliver an even deeper cut to its production, and after an industry group reported a surprise decline in U.S. oil inventories.Brent crude, the global benchmark, was up $1.07, or 1.7 percent, at $63.49 a barrel at 9:55 a.m. EST (14:55 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up 91 cents, or 1.7 percent, at $54.01."The feel-good factor is back in play but oil bulls are by no means out of the woods yet," PVM Oil Associates…
OPEC Cuts 2019 Oil Demand Forecast
OPEC cut its forecast for 2019 world oil demand on Tuesday due to slowing economies and expectations of faster supply growth from rivals, underlining its challenge to prevent a surplus even as it starts new production cuts.In a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries lowered its forecast for 2019 economic growth and said demand for its crude would fall to 30.59 million barrels per day, 240,000 bpd less than predicted last month.OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed in December to reduce supply by 1.2 million bpd from Jan. 1 to prevent excess supply building up.
Deepwater Oil Output to Reach 10 mb/d in 2019
Global deepwater oil production was expected to grow 700,000 barrels per day (b/d) this year to hit a record high of more than 10 million b/d.Norwegian research group Rystad Energy said that it "expects global deepwater production to reach record high level and surpass 10 million bb/d.""With new fields starting up in Brazil and Gulf of Mexico, we expect the total deepwater liquid production to reach 10.3 million bbl/d in 2019. This is an increase of 700 kbbl/d compared to 2018," it said.In addition to Brazil and the US, Angola…
