Decade

Even with wellhead freeze-offs that cut into U.S. natural gas production in February, domestic output still will be up by an average 4-5 Bcf/d year/year (y/y) in 2011, the Raymond James & Associates Inc. energy team said last week.

A Democratic bill (S. 940) to end $21 billion in oil and natural gas tax breaks for the five largest producers over the next decade was destined for defeat in the Senate late Tuesday.

Even with wellhead freeze-offs that cut into U.S. natural gas production in February, domestic output still will be up by an average 4-5 Bcf/d year/year (y/y) in 2011, the Raymond James & Associates Inc. energy team said Monday.

Natural gas has been the primary target of domestic drilling throughout the past decade, but the focus appears to be shifting to crude oil, according to a report on first quarter well completions issued by the American Petroleum Institute (API). The estimated number of oil wells drilled in the first quarter outnumbered natural gas wells by 5,718 to 3,860, API reported. The figures for oil well completions “show the focus is changing,” the producer group said. While oil and gas well activity was up from the same period in 2010, it was down from 2009, API said. It estimated that 10,431 oil and natural gas wells and dry holes were completed in the most recent first quarter, up 29% from 2010’s first quarter but almost 8% below completions in the first quarter of 2009. API also reported total estimated footage of 75.66 million feet was drilled in the first quarter, a 38% increase from the same period of 2010.

Natural gas has been the primary target of domestic drilling throughout the past decade, but the focus appears to be shifting to crude oil, according to a report on first quarter well completions issued by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

Because an “all-time high level” of uncompleted natural wells in the Haynesville Shale await a tie-in to pipelines, don’t expect an immediate drop-off in incremental supply as the rig count drops, analysts with Raymond James & Associates Inc. said in a note Monday.

America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) has tapped Tom Hassenboehler as vice president of policy development and legislative affairs. He joins ANGA after nearly a decade on Capitol Hill, serving as minority counsel to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and as counsel on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Hassenboehler previously worked in the offices of former Reps. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) and Bob Riley (R-AL). “[His] knowledge of energy and environmental policy, coupled with his deep understanding of Congress and the many benefits of natural gas, will be a tremendous asset to ANGA’s efforts to promote greater utilization of this clean, domestic energy source,” said ANGA President Regina Hopper. Hassenboehler earned a bachelor’s degree and juris doctorate from Louisiana State University.

Natural gas exploration and production began in urban areas of the Barnett Shale in North Texas nearly a decade ago, and early municipal regulation of the activity was less onerous than it is today, an industry lawyer told a Texas House committee last Thursday.

Natural gas exploration and production began in urban areas of the Barnett Shale in North Texas nearly a decade ago, and early municipal regulation of the activity was less onerous than it is today, an industry lawyer told a Texas House committee Thursday.