By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 14 -- Damage from two hurricanes and a global shortage of overwater rigs led to unusually large declines in Louisiana's oil and gas production in 2005, state figures show.
Gas production was down 13.1% to 1.17 tcf compared with a gain of 0.4% in 2004 over 2003, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources estimated. Crude and condensate production in 2005 totaled 69.3 million bbl, a drop of 17.1%, after a decline of 7.4% the previous year.
The 2005 gas production is derived 65% from South Louisiana, 26.5% from North Louisiana, and 8.4% from fields in state waters. The 2005 crude and condensate output came 73.4% from South Louisiana, 15% from North Louisiana, and 11.6% from the state offshore.
For each of the three areas, the 2005 production was the lowest since at least 1984, the earliest year shown on the department's January 2006 tabulation.
Louisiana's crude and condensate production is estimated to have averaged 190,094 b/d in 2005, down almost 17% from 2004.
After the hurricanes, production in the last quarter of 2005 slumped to 40-55%/month lower than it was in the same month of 2004, the department estimated. Totals are 123,255 b/d in September 2005, 96,642 b/d in October, 106,483 b/d in November, and 110,438 b/d in December.
