
October has been billed as a pivotal month in which indebted shale companies would see their credit lines cut, precipitating a faster consolidation in the industry that would sow the seeds of a rebound.

Japan-based Mitsui has signed an agreement with Petrobras for partial acquisition of shares in the latter's natural gas distribution unit Petrobras Gás (Gaspetro) for about R$1.9bn ($489m).

Argentina' Energy company, Enarsa, in association with Venezuela's PDVSA, allegedly has detected very positive natural gas deposits off the Patagonia coast, which according to reports in the Buenos Aires press could be equivalent a third of the country's reserves.

Russia and Mexico – non-OPEC countries, which have been invited to participate Venezuela-proposed meeting this week – have no intention to cut oil production, International Oil Daily reported.

Venezuela's proposed 2016 government budget is based on an estimate of $40 per barrel for the OPEC nation's oil exports, Finance Minister Rodolfo Marco said in a presentation to congress on Tuesday.

Bristow has added a new hangar and modular offices at Stanley Airport in the Falkland Islands to help improve operational efficiencies for oil and gas commercial services and search and rescue (SAR) support.

The US government has announced new curbs on oil and gas exploration in Arctic waters off Alaska's northern coast. It comes after oil giant Royal Dutch Shell last month stopped its Arctic activity citing “disappointing” tests.

Exploring group Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd. said on Friday the Humpback 53/02-01 exploration well to the southeast of the Falkland Islands has found oil and gas shows, while wire-line logging indicates there are hydrocarbons bearing sandstones within the main target area.

Petrobras announced a further hydrocarbon discovery at the giant pre-salt Libra field in the Santos basin, offshore Brazil. The company said that well 3-BRSA-1310-RJS, in the central portion of the block, identified the presence of hydrocarbons in a low-porosity reservoir. This is the fourth well drilled in the Libra area since exploratory drilling began last August.

Spanish oil giant Repsol said on Thursday it plans to sell 6.2 billion Euros ($7.1 billion) in assets and slash investment in exploration and production over the next five years to help its preserve dividends and pay back debt.