能源服务公司贝克休斯公司在 3 月 10 日备受关注的报告中表示，美国能源公司本周自 2020 年 7 月以来首次连续第四周削减了运营的石油和天然气钻井平台数量。

截至 3 月 10 日当周，石油和天然气钻井数量（未来产量的早期指标）减少了 3 座，至 746 座，为 6 月以来的最低水平。 

贝克休斯表示，尽管本周钻机数量有所下降，但与去年同期相比，钻机总数仍增加了 83 座，即 13%。

美国石油钻井平台本周减少 2 座，至 590 座，也是 6 月以来的最低水平，而天然气钻井平台也减少 1 座，至 153 座。

美国石油期货在 2022 年上涨约 7% 后，今年迄今已下跌约 4%。与此同时，美国天然气期货在去年上涨约 20% 后，今年迄今已下跌约 45%。

能源交易商表示，近期能源价格下跌已导致多家勘探和生产公司从12月至2月连续三个月削减用于开采石油和天然气的钻机数量。

一些能源公司最近几周表示，他们将削减天然气钻探设备的数量，特别是在阿肯色州、路易斯安那州和德克萨斯州的海恩斯维尔页岩。

然而，美国能源顾问 Tudor Pickering Holt & Co 指出，天然气钻机数量的减少“需要一段时间才能实现，因为运营商可能会保留这些钻机，直到当前的平台完工。”

根据美国能源情报署的预测，尽管近几个月钻机数量有所减少，但美国原油产量仍有望从 2022 年的 11.9 MMbbl/d 增至 2023 年的 12.4 MMbbl/d 和 2024 年的 12.6 MMbbl/d (环境影响评估）三月。相比之下，2019 年的记录为 12.3 MMbbl/d。

然而，2023 年和 2024 年的石油产量预测低于 EIA 2 月份的预测。

与此同时，根据 3 月份的联邦能源数据，美国天然气产量有望从 2022 年创纪录的每天 980.9 亿立方英尺 (Bcf/d) 增至 2023 年的 100.67 Bcfd 和 2024 年的 101.69 Bcf/d。

2023 年和 2024 年的天然气产量预测高于 EIA 2 月份的预测。

U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for a fourth week in a row for the first time since July 2020, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co. said in its closely followed report on March 10.

The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by 3 to 746 in the week to March 10, the lowest since June. 

Despite this week's rig decline, Baker Hughes said the total count was still up 83 rigs, or 13%, over this time last year.

U.S. oil rigs fell by 2 to 590 this week, also their lowest since June, while gas rigs also fell by 1 to 153.

U.S. oil futures were down about 4% so far this year after gaining about 7% in 2022. U.S. gas futures, meanwhile, have plunged about 45% so far this year after rising about 20% last year.

Energy traders said recent energy prices declines have already caused several exploration and production companies to cut back on the number of rigs they use to drill for oil and gas for three months in a row from December-February.

Some energy firms have said in recent weeks that they would cut the number of rigs drilling for gas, especially in the Haynsesville shale in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

U.S. energy advisor Tudor Pickering Holt & Co, however, noted those gas rig declines "will take time to materialize as operators will likely retain the rigs until current pads complete."

Despite lower rig counts seen in recent months, U.S. crude production was still on track to rise from 11.9 MMbbl/d in 2022 to 12.4 MMbbl/d in 2023 and 12.6 MMbbl/d in 2024, according to projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in March. That compares with a record 12.3 MMbbl/d in 2019.

Those oil production forecasts for 2023 and 2024, however, were smaller than EIA's projections in February.

U.S. gas production, meanwhile, was on track to rise from a record 98.09 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2022 to 100.67 bcfd in 2023 and 101.69 Bcf/d in 2024, according to federal energy data in March.

Those gas production forecasts for 2023 and 2024 were bigger than EIA's projections in February.