Crude oil production in Permian Basin is forecast to increase by 8,000 barrels per day in April to 6.112 million b/d after 6.104 million b/d in March. In its drilling productivity report Monday, U.S. Energy Information Administration said oil production overall in seven major producing regions is forecast at 9.769 million b/d for April – an increase of 10,000 b/d from 9.759 million b/d in March. Five of the six other regions are expected to remain flat or increase (up in Bakken and Eagle Ford); only Niobrara is forecast to decline. Eagle Ford is expected to add 2,000 b/d to reach 1.149 million b/d in April.
Only Permian and Bakken are forecast to add natural gas production in April. Permian will be up 134 million cubic feet per day to 25.192 billion cfd. Appalachia remains the gas production leader for April with 36.285 billion cfd – decline of 73 million cfd from March. Overall in the seven major regions gas production is forecast to fall by 167 million cfd to 100.452 billion cfd after 100.619 billion cfd in March.
The count of drilled but uncompleted wells (DUC) in seven regions declined to 4,483 in February – down from 4,486 in January. Permian’s DUC count fell to 883 in February from 888 in January. Appalachia, Bakken and Haynesville reported gains in count of DUC wells in February.