能源服务公司贝克休斯在 8 月 30 日备受关注的报告中表示，美国能源公司本周连续第三周削减石油和天然气钻井平台数量，这是自 6 月底以来的首次。

石油和天然气钻井数量是未来产量的早期指标，截至 8 月 30 日当周，该数字减少了 2 个，至 583 个，降至 6 月份以来的最低水平。 

贝克休斯表示，这意味着钻井总数减少了 48 个，比去年同期下降了 8%。

贝克休斯表示，本周石油钻井数保持不变，为 483 座，天然气钻井数减少 2 座，至 95 座，为 2021 年 4 月以来的最低水平。

本月，石油和天然气钻井总数减少了六个，而上个月则增加了八个。

8 月份石油钻井平台数量增加了一个，而天然气钻井平台数量减少了六个。

在美国最大的天然气生产盆地——宾夕法尼亚州、俄亥俄州和西弗吉尼亚州的马塞勒斯页岩中，钻井工人减少了两座钻井平台，总数降至 23 座，为 2016 年 8 月以来的最低水平。

与此同时，在宾夕法尼亚州，钻井工人削减了 3 座钻井平台，使钻井总数降至 18 座，为 2021 年 12 月以来的最低水平。

由于油气价格下跌、通胀飙升导致劳动力和设备成本上升，以及企业专注于偿还债务和提高股东回报而不是提高产量，石油和天然气钻井数量在 2022 年增加 33% 和 2021 年增加 67% 之后，在 2023 年下降了约 20%。

美国石油期货在 2023 年下跌 11% 后，到 2024 年迄今上涨了约 3%，而美国天然气期货在 2023 年暴跌 44% 后，到 2024 年迄今下跌了约 16%。

尽管今年迄今为止油价上涨，但天然气期货价格连续第二年下跌，促使许多能源公司在 2024 年削减资本支出。预计支出下降将导致 2024 年天然气产量自 2020 年以来首次减少。美国金融服务公司 TD Cowen 跟踪的 26 家独立勘探和生产 (E&P) 公司表示，他们计划在 2024 年将支出削减约 2%（较 2023 年）。

相比之下，2023 年支出同比增长 27%，2022 年增长 40%，2021 年增长 4%。

U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for a third week in a row for the first time since late June, energy services firm Baker Hughes said in its closely followed report on Aug. 30.

The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by two to 583 in the week to Aug. 30, to their lowest since June. 

Baker Hughes said that puts the total rig count down 48, or 8% below this time last year.

Baker Hughes said oil rigs were unchanged at 483 this week, while gas rigs fell by two to 95, their lowest since April 2021.

For the month, the total oil and gas rig count was down six after rising by eight last month.

Oil rigs were up one in August, while gas rigs were down six for the month.

In the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, the nation's biggest gas-producing basin, drillers cut two rigs, bringing the total down to 23, the lowest since August 2016.

In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, drillers cut three rigs, bringing the total down to 18, the lowest since December 2021.

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 3% so far in 2024 after dropping by 11% in 2023, while U.S. gas futures were down about 16% so far in 2024 after plunging by 44% in 2023.

Even though oil prices were up so far this year, the drop in gas futures for a second year in a row prompted many energy firms to cut capital spending in 2024. That drop in spending was expected to reduce gas production in 2024 for the first time since 2020.The 26 independent exploration and production (E&P) companies tracked by U.S. financial services firm TD Cowen said they planned to cut spending by around 2% in 2024 versus 2023.

That compares with year-over-year spending increases of 27% in 2023, 40% in 2022 and 4% in 2021.