Energy Update

BEIJING, Jan 13 (Reuters) - China's commodity imports surged in December as tumbling prices spurred opportunistic buying, but shipments of some commodities are expected to start tapering off this year as slower economic growth checks demand.

BEIJING, Jan 13 (Reuters) - China's crude oil imports hit a record 7.82 million barrels a day (bpd) in December, customs data showed, as the world's No.2 oil consumer took advantage of low crude prices to fill strategic reserves, but also increased its exports of refined fuels to an all-time high.

(Wed, 13 Jan 2016) The Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) released on January 12, which is the first STEO to include projections for 2017, forecasts Brent crude oil prices will average $40 per barrel (b) in 2016 and $50/b in 2017. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are expected to be $2/b lower than Brent in 2016 and $3/b lower than Brent in 2017

WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday said he would seek changes in the way U.S. oil and coal resources are managed, prompting a flood of reaction from environmental groups pushing him to do more to limit fossil fuel production - and producers anxious about regulatory changes.