The West Hercules semi-submersible rig has been contracted for drilling two exploration wells in the Barents Sea in 2018, and options to drill another five exploration wells. Statoil and the licence partners have signed a contract with North鈥
U.S. production tops 10 mln bpd for first time since 1970 as U.S. inventories rise by 6.8 mln bbls. Oil prices rose on Thursday after a survey showed OPEC's commitment to its supply cuts remains in place, even as U.S. production topped 10 million barrels per day for the first time since 1970鈥
Brent reaches $71.20, highest since December 2014; U.S. crude inventories fall for a record 10th straight week. Oil hit $71 a barrel on Thursday for the first time since 2014, supported by OPEC-led supply curbs, a record-breaking run of declines in U鈥
As U.S. oil output is poised to overtake Saudi Arabia, Venezuelan oil output is at 30-year low - and could fall further. Global oil markets are tightening quickly on falling supply from Venezuela, which posted 2017's biggest unplanned output fall and could see a further decline in 2018鈥
