EIA DPR May 2015: Shale Production Slips, But Not in Marc/Utica

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Our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), released our favorite government report, the Drilling Productivity Report, yesterday. There is important news to report from the DPR. First, the total amount of natural gas produced across all of the seven major commercial shale plays tracked in the DPR slide backward for the second month in a row. Last month, you may recall, was the very first time in the modern shale era when production month to month was not higher than the month before (see First Time Ever: US Shale Produces Less Oil/Gas Month Over Month). That trend continued this month (forecasting for volumes in June). Last month the total volume reduced by 23 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d) than the month before. This month? It goes down 112 Mmcf/d. That is, the shrinkage in production is accelerating. Except in two plays. Can you guess which two shale plays are still in positive territory--producing more shale gas this month than last month, hitting new all-time highs? That's right--the Marcellus and Utica. All other shale plays produced less natural gas this month than last with the exception of the Marcellus, hitting a new high of 16,737 Mmcf/d (or put another way, 16.737 billion cubic feet), and the Utica, hitting a new high of 2,509 Mmcf/d (2.509 Bcf/d)...

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