Stoked by high crude oil prices, domestic oil and natural gas drilling activity soared to a two-decade high during the second quarter, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API). Most of the drilling was natural gas-focused, with gas activity setting an all-time record pace in the first half of the year, it said.

The API reported that a total of 24,729 oil wells, natural gas wells and dry holes were completed in the first half of this year, with 12,681 of the completions coming in the second quarter — the highest single quarterly performance since the first quarter of 1986.

Natural gas is the primary target for domestic drilling, the institute said. “Strong year-to-year gains in the last decade have resulted in [the] best-ever natural gas drilling and completion numbers.” An estimated all-time high of 14,784 natural gas wells were completed in the first six months of this year, with approximately 7,489 coming in the second quarter, the API reported.

Quarter-to-quarter comparisons show that total completions in the second quarter of this year rose 14% over the same period in 2005, it said. Oil well completions jumped 21%, natural gas completions were up 10% over 2005, and dry hole completions increased 12% above year-ago levels, according to the API.

The API also reported that total estimated footage drilled in the first half and second quarter was 136,806 feet and 70,055 feet, respectively. It said the last time estimated total footage drilled was this high was back in 1985.

The data is contained in the API Quarterly Well Completion Report, which is available to subscribers. The report also is available from Jeff Obermiller at (202) 682-8508 or through API’s Internet-based online service, ACCESS* API.

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