US oil & gas rig count down 74% y/y in early August: Baker Hughes
US energy firms cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs this week to a record low for a 14th week even as higher oil prices prompt some producers to start drilling again.
The U.S. rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by four to an all-time low of 247 in the week to Aug. 7, according to data on Friday from energy services firm Baker Hughes Co going back to 1940.
That was 687 rigs, or 74%, below this time last year. The weekly rig count has dropped or held steady since March.
US oil rigs fell by four to 176 this week, their lowest since July 2005, while gas rigs held steady at 69, according to Baker Hughes data.
More than half of the total US oil rigs are in the Permian basin in West Texas and eastern New Mexico where units fell by three this week to a record low of 121, according to Baker Hughes data going back to 2011. Drillers also added one gas rig, bringing the total oil and gas count in the Permian to 122.
Even though U.S. oil prices are still down about 32% since the start of the year due to coronavirus demand destruction, crude futures have jumped 119% over the past four months to around $41 a barrel on Friday on hopes global economies and energy demand will snap back as governments lift lockdowns.
Analysts said higher oil prices will encourage energy firms to slow rig count reductions and start adding units later this year.
The rig count is “inching closer and closer to a bottom ... but we’re not there quite yet,” analysts at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co said this week.
(Source: Reuters)
Crude prices fall on possible ceasefire in Lebanon
Breaking up Google an option being considered by US, report shows
Boycott on Israel helped Arabs revive their economies: Analysis
Israeli airstrike on Lebanon's army base kills soldier, injures 18 others
Sirens sound across Tel Aviv as Hezbollah fires barrage of missiles at Israeli target
Israeli ‘archeologist’ who toured south Lebanon in military uniform to falsify history
The importance of Venezuela for Iran
Iran beats traditional rival Russia in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling friendly
Rape trials trigger protests against French ‘sexist and misogynistic’ culture
US photographer opens Berlin exhibition with anti-Israel speech
VIDEO | Press TV's News Headlines
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
