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The Russian-Vietnam Joint Operating Company (JOC), Vietgazprom, started drilling the third exploratory well in the Bao Vang deposit on the continental shelf of Vietnam.

Media in Kazakhstan are reporting that a major oil-refining plant in the southern city of Shymkent has been damaged in a fire.

The United Steelworkers union and Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) averted a potential strike that would have idled as many as 69 refineries by tentatively agreeing to a new three-year contract.

Kuwait Energy, and independent explorer with assets throughout the Middle East, yesterday posted record revenues (net of tax) of $50.4m, up 26.9% from Q4 2010 and up 5.2% from Q3 2011.

The European Union adopted sanctions against 15 more Syrian individuals and five businesses, and said a promised oil embargo on the Middle Eastern country could be in place next week.

Chinese oil firms may pay a financial price for the lack of support for the NATO-assisted revolution in Libya, as representatives of the rebel National Transitional Council state there will be "political issues" with continuing to honour pre-conflict contracts from countries that opposed the rebel campaign.

Iran has again warned CNPC – China’s state-backed upstream exploration and production company – that if investment in phase 11 of the giant South Pars offshore gas field was not ramped up, the National Iranian Oil Company would take custody of the field.

Libyan rebels said they had won control of the strategic oil refinery town of Brega, as a US official confirmed US envoys had met with members of Moamer Kadhafi's regime.

Brussels hosted today the South Stream project presentation attended by the representatives of the EU authorities, European energy and regulatory agencies, expert community and mass media.

The arbitral panel has today issued a consent order permitting BP and the Alfa-Access-Renova (AAR) consortium to assign the Arctic opportunity to TNK-BP, subject to Rosneft consent.

The Gazprom headquarters hosted a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee and Vladimir Semashko, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus.