U.S. Major Shale Plays (click for larger version)
The latest monthly U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) for April, issued yesterday (below), shows EIA believes shale gas production across the seven major plays tracked in the monthly DPR for May will decrease production from the prior month of April. This is the tenth month in a row that EIA has predicted shale gas production will decrease for the combined seven plays. However, it won’t decrease everywhere. Gas-focused plays like the Marcellus/Utica and the Haynesville will see the most significant drop in production (a combined loss of 359 MMcf/d). In contrast, the oily Permian play will see a massive boost in the production of “associated” natural gas — the gas that comes out of the ground along with oil. The Permian is also adding another 12,000 barrels per day of oil production in May.
