Most of Noble Energy Inc.’s Lower 48 oil and gas volumes that were curtailed as the coronavirus sapped demand are back online as operating costs and netback pricing have improved.

The Houston-based super independent, which issued its results Monday, curtailed 30,000 boe/d net during 2Q2020. Most of the reduced volumes, estimated at 80%, were curtailed in the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, with the remainder in the Permian Basin’s Delaware sub-basin. There were “minimal” curtailments in its third Lower 48 asset, the Eagle Ford Shale.

“With significant improvements to operating costs and netback pricing, the majority of curtailed volumes were brought back on production by the end of July,” management said in its 2Q2020 report. 

“Noble Energy’s second quarter results...