Only one of the top seven counties in the Permian Basin reported a change in the drilling rig count for the week that ended Oct. 7. Lea County, N.M., continues to lead Permian with 72 active rigs, according to Baker Hughes, followed by Eddy, N.M., with 38, Martin with 34, Midland with 31, Reeves with 29 (up 1 in past week), Loving with 21 and Howard with 20. Baker Hughes also said as of Oct. 7 there were 345 rigs in Permian Basin (up 1), 360 in Texas (unchanged), 113 in New Mexico (unchanged) and 762 in U.S. (down 3).
Oklahoma was No. 3 among states with 65 rigs (up 1) followed by Louisiana with 62 (down 4) and North Dakota with 38 (unchanged). Eagle Ford in south Texas was No. 2 among regions with 72 rigs (unchanged) followed by Haynesville with 70 (down 1), Marcellus with 40 (up 1) and Williston with 39 (unchanged).
Enverus said as of Sept. 29 combined rig count in Delaware and Midland basins is up 35 percent in the past year. More than half of the increase of 82 rigs came in Martin (up 18 rigs to 38), Eddy (up 15 rigs to 42) and Lea (up 11 rigs to 62). Most active operators in Martin are Diamondback, Endeavor and Occidental.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, in a report issued Oct. 12, reduced its forecast for crude oil production in U.S. to 12.4 million barrels per day for 2023 from 12.6 million b/d as forecast in September.
