能源服务公司贝克休斯 在 3 月 22 日备受关注的报告中表示，美国能源公司本周将运营的天然气钻井平台数量削减至 2022 年 1 月以来的最低水平。

截至 3 月 22 日当周，作为未来产量早期指标的石油和天然气钻井平台总数减少了 5 座，至 624 座。 

贝克休斯表示，这使得钻机总数比去年同期减少了 134 座，即 18%。

贝克休斯的数据显示，本周石油钻井平台数量减少 1 座，至 509 座，而天然气钻井平台数量减少 4 座，至 112 座，为 2022 年 1 月中旬以来的最低水平。

由于石油和天然气价格下降、通胀飙升导致劳动力和设备成本上升以及企业专注于还款，石油和天然气钻井数量在 2022 年增长 33% 和 2021 年增长 67% 后，2023 年下降约 20%债务和提高股东回报而不是提高产出。

美国石油期货在 2023 年下跌 11% 后，2024 年迄今已上涨约 12%。与此同时，美国天然气期货在 2023 年暴跌 44% 后，2024 年迄今已下跌约 34%。

美国能源信息署(EIA)在3月18日的月度钻井生产力报告中表示，在原油价格上涨的情况下，页岩油主要产区的石油产量预计将在4月份升至四个月来的最高水平。

然而，EIA 表示，大型页岩盆地的天然气总产量将降至三个月低点，因为在 2 月份天然气期货暴跌至 3-1/2 年期后，一些生产商削减支出并减少钻探活动。

EIA表示，生产商2月份钻探了862口油气井，完成了865口，是自2023年12月以来钻探和完成最多的。

根据可追溯至 2013 年 12 月的 EIA 数据，2 月份 DUC 油气井总数减少 3 口，至 4,483 口，这是自 2023 年 12 月 DUC 降至历史低点 4,477 口以来的最低水平。

由于效率提高以及企业完成 DUC 工作，美国石油产量仍有望在 2024 年和 2025 年创下历史新高。

然而，根据 EIA 的数据，2024 年美国天然气产量将较去年创下的历史新高有所下降。

U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of natural gas rigs operating to the lowest level since January 2022, energy services firm Baker Hughes said in its closely followed report on March 22.

The combined oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by five to 624 in the week to March 22. 

Baker Hughes said that puts the total rig count down 134, or 18%, below this time last year.

The number of oil rigs fell by one to 509 this week, while gas rigs decreased by four to 112, their lowest level since mid-January 2022, according to Baker Hughes.

The oil and gas rig count dropped about 20% in 2023 after rising by 33% in 2022 and 67% in 2021, due to a decline in oil and gas prices, higher labor and equipment costs from soaring inflation and as companies focused on paying down debt and boosting shareholder returns instead of raising output.

U.S. oil futures were up about 12% so far in 2024 after dropping by 11% in 2023. U.S. gas futures, meanwhile, were down about 34% so far in 2024 after plunging by 44% in 2023.

Amid the increase in crude prices, oil output from top shale-producing regions was expected to rise in April to its highest in four months, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its monthly Drilling Productivity Report on March 18.

Total gas output in the big shale basins, however, will ease to a three-month low, the EIA said, as some producers slash spending and reduce drilling activities after gas futures plunged to a 3-1/2-year in February.

The EIA said producers drilled 862 oil and gas wells in February and completed 865, the most drilled and completed since December 2023.

Total DUC oil and gas wells slid by three to 4,483 in February, the lowest since DUCs fell to a record low of 4,477 in December 2023, according to EIA data going back to December 2013.

U.S. oil output was still on track to hit record highs in 2024 and 2025 due to efficiency gains and as firms complete work on DUCs.

U.S. gas output in 2024, however, will drop from the record high hit last year, according to the EIA.