Oil prices climbed on Thursday, buoyed up by the long-awaited signing of Phase 1 of the proposed trade deal between Washington and Beijing. Brent crude LCOc1 was priced 0.5% higher, at $64.33 a barrel. US WTI crude futures CLc1 were traded 0.5% higher, at $58.09 a barrel. China is aiming to buy over $50 billion more of U.S. oil, liquefied natural gas and other energy products over two years.

Engineered polymer solutions provider, Trelleborg has concluded the acquisition of Signum Technology Ltd and its subsidiary companies Gall Thomson, KLAW LNG, KLAW Products, and Vee Bee Filtration. The acquisition move will add Signum's safety-critical solutions, including Marine Breakaway Couplings (MBCs) and safety solutions for LNG transfer systems, to Trelleborg’s product portfolio. Signum's acquisition is in line with Trelleborg’s strategy to fortify its position as a system provider.

Integrated services provider, Sparrows Group has landed a five-year contract from Tengizchevroil (TCO) to provide specialist lifting inspection services for Kazakhstan's Tengiz field. The contract award builds upon Sparrows continued relationship with TCO from 2004. The contract requires Sparrows to conduct pre-mobilization and annual inspections for mobile cranes, gantry cranes, forklifts and boom trucks. TCO operates as a joint venture between Chevron, ExxonMobil, KazMunayGas and LukArco.

ADNOC's and Borealis' JV, the Abu Dhabi Polymers Company Ltd (Borouge) has awarded a licensing contract for the Borouge 4 project to France-based Axens. The contract terms require Axens to supply process books, catalysts & adsorbents, proprietary equipment, trainings and technical services. Axens will provide Borogue with an MTBE unit coupled with1-Butene production unit and 1-Hexene unit for the Borouge 4 project in Ruwais-Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, stressed by the possibilities of the US-China trade deal not inducing demand as Washington is looking to keep tariffs on Chinese goods until a second phase. Brent crude LCOc1 fell 0.3%, at $64.30 per barrel. US WTI crude futures CLc1 were priced 0.3% lower, at $58.04 a barrel. The Phase 1 agreement between the US and China will be signed at the White House today.

American E&P firm, Noble Energy has contracted Maersk Drilling's Valiant for the work offshore Colombia. The contract is valued at $18.2m and is expected to be concluded in 65 days. Noble said that the contract fees also includes mobilization and demobilization services. The 2013-built Maersk Valiant is Maersk Drilling’s seventh-generation drillship and comes equipped with integrated managed pressure drilling (MPD) capabilities.

Houston-based Stress Engineering Services has purchased Texas-based Laserstream, a company specializing in laser mapping of tubular assets. The acquisition will gain Stress Engineering the ownership to high-resolution pipe ID scanning hardware and imaging software while enhancing its competencies within upstream, midstream, downstream, aerospace, consumer and medical services. With the acquisition, SES will be able to capitalize on Laserstream’s state-of-the-art equipment, to combine with its laboratories and service offerings.

Oil prices slipped in the international market on Tuesday, as the tensions between the US and Iran deescalated after this month’s clash. Brent crude LCOc1 dipped down 0.1%, to $64.12 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 were traded 0.1% lower, at $58.04 a barrel. However, the losses were capped by the expectations of a drawdown in U.S. crude stockpiles and, optimism about the potential US-China trade deal.

The United States Department of Energy Small Business Innovation Research Program has presented a Phase I grant to E-Spectrum Technologies and Dr. Eduardo Gildin of Texas A&M University. The grant will be used in creating an advanced advisory system that precisely portrays the underground circumstances in real-time during drilling operations. E-Spectrum currently deploys algorithms to collect and filter data from bit vibrations, speed or sound changes, and temperature or pressure changes.

Apache Corp has informed about closing its San Antonio, Texas office through which the firm oversees its Alpine High venture in the Permian basin. The move will cost approximately 272 employees their jobs. The layoffs follow a warning from Apache to move capital away from the struggling Alpine High region. A filing made by Apache with the Texas Workforce Commission informed that affected employees will leave the company on March 6.

Oil prices fell in the international market on Friday, amidst the receding threat of war in the Middle East and slower economic growth gained attention. Brent crude LCOc1 slipped 0.3%, to $65.17 a barrel. US WTI were priced 0.3% lower, at $59.36 a barrel. Oil prices have reached as down as it was before the death of top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani last week.

Occidental Petroleum on Wednesday informed about ‘significantly’ reducing its workforce, after buying out its rival Anadarko Petroleum last year. Layoffs are currently underway across the company, after staff was cut through a voluntary program, spokeswoman Melissa Schoeb said. She added, “Occidental’s integration team identified the jobs we need to successfully and safely operate our business and achieve our synergy goals,”.

A document from the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources has revealed that in order to increase oil and gas development in the country, China will open its oil and gas exploration and production to foreign firms. However, only those foreign firms will be allowed who have registered in China with net assets no lower than 300 million yuan ($43.29 million) from May 1.

French Geoscience company, CGG has informed about concluding its withdrawal from the marine seismic acquisition business. CGG farmed out the marine seismic acquisition business in a strategic partnership transaction to Shearwater GeoServices. CGG also informed about the creation of a joint venture under the Sercel brand for the research and development, manufacturing, commercialization, and support of marine streamer seismic acquisition equipment.

Houston-based Chemicals manufacturer, Nissan Chemical America Corporation (NCA) has joined hands with industrial gas suppliers, Messer Americas, to enhance oil and gas production. The two firms have collaboratively developed a treatment, nanoActiv HnP—an energized, fast turnaround style “Huff ‘n Puff”— which incorporates nanoActiv with a CO₂ or N₂ gas application method to enhance oil and gas recovery.

Apache Corp and Total’s major oil discovery on Tuesday in Suriname sent Apache’s shares soaring to nearly 27%. Apache said the discovery conformed to a geologic model with 73 meters of oil pay and 50 meters of light oil and gas condensate pay, with more appraisal planning underway. Apache’s contract with Total included $100 million upfront payment and expenditures sustained in exploration.

Oil prices ramped up in the international market on Wednesday, buoyed up by Iranian attacks on American forces in Iraq. Brent crude futures LCOc1 rose 2.3%, to $69.83 a barrel. US WTI CLc1 crude was priced 2% higher, at $63.95 a barrel. Iran let loose a dozen missiles on U.S.-led forces stationed in Iraq early on Wednesday.

India's Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan has shown concerns over increasing tensions amidst the oil-producing countries. "In today's times when there is a tension in the oil-producing countries then there is a direct impact on the prices of oil in the markets", said Pradhan. India is also planning to look for other oil import countries apart from the gulf nations.