The US Environmental Protection Agency released a draft assessment June 4 of a study in which it concluded hydraulic fracturing activities have not led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources, although the agency said potential water vulnerabilities exist.

According to the International Energy Agency’s most recent Oil Market Report, global oil demand averaged 93.3 million b/d in this year’s first half, up 1.6 million b/d on the year and 400,000 b/d above the estimate in last month’s report. Global demand for the whole year is forecast to average 94 million b/d, 1.4 million b/d up on the year and 300,000 b/d higher than in last month’s OMR.

“Since bottoming out at a 5-year low in second-quarter 2014, global oil demand growth has steadily increased, as additional economic growth, colder-than-year-earlier European winter weather conditions and more recently price effects have filtered through,” IEA said. However, momentum is expected to ease somewhat in this year’s second half, assuming a return to normal weather conditions and given a recent partial recovery in oil prices.