Counts

Texas oil and gas activity is looking up after months of declining rig counts and stagnant natural gas prices, nudging an industry barometer, the Texas Petro Index (TPI), up in March.

Texas oil and gas activity is looking up after months of declining rig counts and stagnant natural gas prices, nudging an industry barometer, the Texas Petro Index (TPI), up in March.

After five consecutive quarters of falling rig counts, U.S. onshore rig activity will improve through the rest of the year, according to a forecast issued on Friday by Baker Hughes Inc.

After five consecutive quarters of falling U.S. rig counts, onshore activity will improve through the rest of the year, according to a forecast by Baker Hughes Inc. There were 1,748 U.S. rigs in operation at the end of the first quarter, CFO Peter Ragauss said. “We anticipate that the rig count will rise to an average of 1,800 rigs for the second quarter. This would be the first increase in U.S. rig count following sequential declines over five consecutive quarters. And the rig count is expected to rise over the second half of the year.” Overall, “the increase from the first quarter is expected to be about 100 rigs, to a 4Q2013 average rate of approximately 1,850 rigs.” The average annual rig count this year “is projected to be 1,810 rigs, composed of approximately 1,400 oil rigs and 410 gas rigs.” The U.S. offshore rig count is forecast to be 8% higher, averaging 52 rigs with four more deepwater rigs than in 2012. The Canadian rig count in 2Q2013 is projected to decline sequentially by 70% to 160 average rigs because of the spring break-up.

Schlumberger Ltd. and Baker Hughes Inc. said they plan to report lower-than-expected profits for the final quarter of 2012 because of a slowdown in North American drilling activity and overcapacity in pressure pumping services.

Higher rig counts and new infrastructure contributed to record production from the Permian and Anadarko basin operations, Apache Corp. said last week.

Higher rig counts and new infrastructure contributed to record production from the Permian and Anadarko basin operations, Apache Corp. said Thursday.

U.S. natural gas prices may well go higher over the next 18 months to two years, but a few things could stand in their way, including stronger-than-forecast dry gas output from unconventional plays, including the Haynesville and Barnett shales, Credit Suisse analysts said Wednesday.

Ten years ago the Permian Basin, first drilled nearly a century ago, was considered passe for oil and gas exploration. Today, however, a new generation of explorers and midstream operators has made the basin one of the hottest tickets on the reservoir circuit and there are no signs that the lights will be dimming anytime soon.