Crude oil production from the seven major US onshore oil and gas producing regions is forecast to increase 109,000 b/d month-over-month during April to 4.962 million b/d, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration’s Drilling Productivity Report.
The monthly DPR tracks the total number of active drilling rigs, drilling productivity, and estimated changes in production from existing oil and natural gas wells in the Bakken, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Marcellus, Niobrara, Permian, and Utica.
The bulk of the rise will again come from the Permian, which is expected to gain 79,000 b/d month-over-month during April to 2.286 million b/d. The neighboring Eagle Ford is projected to continue its upward trend with a 28,000-b/d monthly increase to 1.144 million b/d.
EIA also reported that the count of drilled but uncompleted (DUC) wells in the seven regions rose by 91 month-over-month during February to 5,443. The Permian expanded by 95 to 1,764, and the Eagle Ford’s rose 13 to 1,265.
The Permian has established itself as the primary catalyst behind the US drilling rebound that began in late spring 2016. As of the week ended Mar. 10, the basin had risen 175 units since May 13, 2016, to 309. The Eagle Ford’s resurgence has come more recently, gaining 37 units between Oct. 14, 2016, and Mar. 10 to a total of 68.
The Niobrara also is projected to record an oil-output increase during April with an 11,000-b/d month-over-month gain to 444,000 b/d. Its DUC well tally, meanwhile, fell by 22 month-over-month in February to 678. The Bakken’s slide is expected to continue with a 10,000-b/d decline to 964,000 b/d.
Natural gas production from the seven major regions is forecast to climb 562 MMcfd during April to 49.617 bcfd, reflecting across-the-board increases.
The Marcellus is projected to jump 176 MMcfd month-over-month to 19.187 bcfd, the Permian by 154 MMcfd to 7.945 bcfd, Haynesville by 108 MMcfd to 6.247 bcfd, the Niobrara by 52 MMcfd to 4.628 bcfd, the Eagle Ford by 43 MMcfd to 5.757, the Utica by 34 MMcfd to 4.27 bcfd, and Bakken by 4 MMcfd to 1.583 bcfd.
Contact Matt Zborowski at [email protected].