By Paul Wiseman In recent months some record dollar amounts have been paid for leases in the Permian Basin. In 2018 a Santa Fe firm that places bids for anonymous investors bid more than $95,000 per acre for a tract of U.S. government land on the New Mexico side of the Basin. That number was […]
On the Front End
In this month’s roundup of news and views, we share some firsts and foremosts. The Basin is a fertile ground for superlatives and precedent-setters. These are the full versions of the “Drilling Deeper” news items that appeared as abbreviated versions in the print edition of PB Oil and Gas Magazine’s September 2019 issue. Longest Lateral […]
2019 slump in drilling rig count continues in U.S., Permian Basin
The count of active oil and gas drilling rigs has declined five straight weeks in the U.S. and four straight weeks in the Permian Basin as of May 10 as the 2019 slump for activity continues, according to Baker Hughes. The count was 988 (fewest since March 2018) in the U.S. – the third straight […]
To Turn Up the Pressure
The year 2019 began with the the frac industry under pressure as a whole, and pressure pumpers were no exception. A sudden oil price drop in December, coupled with downward pricing impetus from backlogged pipelines and year-end budget exhaustion led to a drop in completions—and a freefall in demand for fracturing crews and frac sand. […]
Spudding In
Recollections of the old “Fort Worth Spudder” and other early-day portable drilling machines. This photo shows what appears to be a stripped-down framework of an old Fort Worth Spudder. See other photos for comparison. by Bobby Weaver Probably the most recognizable imagery related to the oil field is a towering derrick. That was especially true […]
Small in the Permian
The way business is done in the Basin is changing fast, and many are saying that it’s a game for ever-bigger entities, but these three operators say that smaller can still be better—and they explain how and why that works for them. by Hanaba Munn Welch All it takes is a lease. The Permian […]
The State of Oil Part 4: Election Implications 2017
Election Implications 2017 The Results You’ve Been Waiting For by Jesse Mullins Might not have any pull quotes this time. There’s not a lot of “mainbar” text, and the sidebar perhaps doesn’t need pull quotes, but if you find that pull quotes work, feel free to grab some from the text and insert them […]
What Goes Down Must Come Up – State of Oil Part 3
We continue our coverage of the views of two highly respected industry observers as they comment on the recovery of 2017—a recovery that, if not “officially” in the works, is bound to unfold. by Jesse Mullins James Wicklund was speaking to the membership of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, and Wicklund, who […]
The State of Oil: Part 2
Anatomy of a Turnaround Two highly respected industry observers share insights into the recovery of 2017—a recovery that, if not “officially” in the works, is bound to unfold. The thing is, this recovery will be different from anything we’ve ever seen before. by Jesse Mullins For the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, fall means fresh […]
Bouncing Off Bottom
Every problem holds the seeds of its own solution. How the crude oil price collapse—grasped holistically—reveals the steps that will right the ship. First glimmers of a better day coming. by Jesse Mullins It was Will Rogers who said that an economist’s guess is liable to be as good as anyone else’s. When the […]
