The International Energy Agency's latest oil market analysis warns of a potentially bumpy ride ahead.

Why it matters: "If demand continues to grow strongly or supply disappoints, the low level of stocks and shrinking spare capacity mean that oil markets could be in for another volatile year in 2022," IEA said.

ExxonMobil on Tuesday announced a target to achieve "net-zero" emissions by 2050, a pledge that arrives as the oil industry faces activist and investor pressure to act more aggressively on climate change.

Why it matters: The non-binding target, which follows a net-zero goal set last fall by U.S. rival Chevron, marks a reversal of sorts for one of the world's most powerful multinational oil-and-gas companies.

U.S. crude oil production is projected to set a full-year record in 2023, the federal Energy Information Administration said in a new report.

Why it matters: The forecast in EIA's wider monthly outlook yesterday signals the recovery from the pandemic-fueled production collapse in 2020.

Multiple analysts are reaching the same conclusion: The U.S. has already become the world's largest liquefied natural gas exporter.

Driving the news: "LNG exports from the United States topped 7 million tonnes (7.7 million tons) in December, according to ship-tracking data from ICIS LNG Edge, narrowly edging out rival producers Qatar and Australia for the first time," CNN reports.

The OPEC+ decision Tuesday to press ahead with another production boost next month signals confidence that spreading COVID-19 cases won't become a huge drag on demand.

Catch up fast: The coalition of OPEC, Russia and allied producers, as expected, stuck with plans to continue the monthly increases of 400,000 barrels per day.

Companies in the heart of the U.S. oil patch plan to keep boosting production this year despite rising costs.

Driving the news: The Dallas Fed's fourth-quarter 2021 survey of oil-and-gas execs finds that "costs rose sharply for a third straight quarter." However, most expect to keep boosting output as prices and demand have recovered from the pandemic.

A Louisiana-based oil company will pay $43 million in civil penalties and damages and $432 million to a clean-up trust fund over a spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Taylor Energy's former Gulf of Mexico offshore oil production facility is the source of the longest-running oil spill in U.S. history, ongoing since 2004, per a Department of Justice statement.

The International Energy Agency said that rising COVID cases are likely to "temporarily slow, but not upend" the global oil demand recovery.

Driving the news: The agency's closely watched monthly analysis this morning slightly cut demand growth estimates for this year and 2022, but overall said:

Siccar Point Energy said it's hitting pause on plans for an offshore oil project in the U.K., a move that comes after 30% partner Shell pulled out of the effort.

Why it matters: The Cambo project has faced activist opposition and saw intense scrutiny when the U.K. hosted the COP26 climate conference last month in Glasgow, Scotland.

U.S. liquefied natural gas export capacity will become the world's largest by the end of 2022 as new and expanded Gulf Coast facilities come online, the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) said this month.

Why it matters: The milestone underscores U.S. emergence as a major crude oil and natural gas exporter as production from shale fields has boomed and crude export restrictions were lifted in 2015.