Oil and gas operators in the central US show growing optimism in a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Source: News

OMV Group’s Maari oil field in the Taranaki basin offshore New Zealand’s north island is being progressively brought back on stream this week. Source: News

Sanchez Energy Corp., Houston, and funds managed by private equity firm Blackstone Energy Partners LP have entered a 50-50 partnership and agreed to acquire working interest in 318,000 gross operated acres in the western Eagle Ford shale of South Texas from Anadarko Petroleum Corp., The Woodlands, Tex., for $2.3 billion. Source: News

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. reported being awarded an order to build a floating production platform for the Mad Dog Phase 2 project in the Gulf of Mexico. Source: News

Oil prices rose on both the New York and London markets Jan. 12 following reports that Saudi Arabia has cut production by more than it had previously agreed. Source: News

Energean Oil & Gas SA, Athens, has followed its August 2016 commitment to develop deepwater Karish and Tanin natural gas and condensate fields offshore Isreal. It announced a development plan using a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel. Source: News

Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Ltd. (EEPGL) encountered more than 95 ft of oil-bearing sandstone in its Payara-1 well, which was drilled about 10 miles northwest of the Liza-1 discovery. Source: News