Energy Update

* U.S. crude stocks fall for 8th week, to 463 mln barrels - EIA (Updates throughout, recasts)

FRANKFURT, June 25 (Reuters) - The top executives of many a corporate giant must feel like the fictional character Gulliver, waking up to find themselves under attack from modern-day Lilliputians, small start-up companies which overwhelm their established rivals with new technologies.

MARACAIBO, Venezuela, June 25 (Reuters) - When night falls over western Venezuela, armed gangs known as "pirates" sometimes ride boats into muggy Lake Maracaibo to steal equipment from oil wells.

VOLGOGRAD, Russia, June 25 (Reuters) - Lukoil, Russia's No.2 oil producer, expects its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to increase by $2 billion this year, Chief Executive Vagit Alekperov told the company's annual general meeting on Thursday.