Completion

The North American rig count stepped up by seven in the tally released by Baker Hughes Inc. on Thursday, one day early because of the holiday. That was enough to push the census to 1,001 for the continent for the week ending July 2.

The North American rig count stepped up by seven in the tally released by Baker Hughes Inc. on Thursday, one day early because of the holiday. That was enough to push the census to 1,001 for the continent for the week ending July 2.

Not long ago, Texas could boast about half of the nation’s operating drilling rigs. The Lone Star State’s slice of the drilling pie — a shrinking pie at that — is now down to 46% as producers drop rigs in a low-price environment. January well completions were down almost 45% from a year ago, according to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

Texas natural gas production during July was up about 7% from the July 2012 level, and oil production was up about 30%, according to preliminary data from the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

Rosetta Resources Inc., a leading Eagle Ford Shale producer, has adopted what it says is an innovative and more efficient multi-well pad drilling strategy on its Briscoe Ranch acreage: column development.

A multi-pad drilling project to test Marcellus and Utica formations in southern Ohio may answer some of the lingering questions about the real resource potential of the Utica/Point Pleasant Shale, an analyst said Tuesday.

ExxonMobil Corp., Chevron Corp., BP plc and super independent ConocoPhillips are expected to lead all other exploration and production (E&P) spenders in the United States this year, with capital expenditures (capex) on average about 5% higher than in 2012, according to a survey by Barclays Capital. Last year’s No. 2 spender, Chesapeake Energy Corp., dropped to No. 5 after cutting its exploration plans.

An MDU Resources Group Inc. subsidiary on Thursday announced a natural gas pipeline project that would stretch across the Bakken Shale from western North Dakota to western Minnesota, where it would connect with Viking Gas Transmission Co.’s gas system.

Three storms in March failed to deter oil and natural gas operations in North Dakota, which set new all-time highs for the month, according to the latest statistics from the state Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).