December 29, 2016

From the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank: Business activity continued to increase in the fourth quarter, according to oil and gas executives responding to the Dallas Fed Energy Survey. The business activity index—the survey’s broadest measure of conditions facing Eleventh District energy firms—rose to 40.1 from last quarter’s 26.7 reading. Several indicators expanded on a quarterly basis for the first time

From Reuters: After years of running flat out, U.S. Gulf Coast refiners are lining up repairs to plants in 2017 – but facing a severe labor shortage that could delay work, drive up costs and raise accident risks. Fuel producers such as Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC.N) and Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) have delayed routine work in the past 24 months

From Reuters: Oil and natural gas production in Brazil reached 3.307 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in November, according to a report released by the government’s petroleum industry regulator ANP on Friday. Oil production fell 0.6 percent from October to 2.609 barrels per day, with more than one-quarter of this coming from the giant offshore Lula field. Natural