Dropping

Raymond James & Associates Inc. on Tuesday revised upward its 2013 U.S. natural gas production forecast to average about 66.8 Bcf/d, up 1.3 Bcf/d from a previous forecast, mostly because Marcellus Shale output has not declined, while associated gas from oil drilling is only adding to the surplus.

Changes in fossil fuel use in recent decades contributed to methane and ethane levels in the atmosphere dropping, according to a research report by University of California at Irvine (UCI) professors that was published Thursday in the journal Nature. Since 2007, however, methane levels have begun to climb again.

Physical gas prices continued to slide Thursday at nearly all points, likely helped lower by the screen’s milestone Wednesday of dropping below $2. Moderating weather in the Northeast Thursday pulled the plug on any price gains prior to the release of inventory data, and western locations weakened as well.

The cash market continued to slide lower Thursday with prices mostly dropping less than a nickel, except in the northeast, which recorded a handful of double-digit drops. Midwest points were only modestly lower, while a few spots in the Rockies and in California managed to tally gains.

Dallas-based Exco Resources Inc. is dropping more than half of its drilling rigs in the Haynesville Shale this year, cutting one rig in the Marcellus and deferring well completions in natural gas plays. However, CEO Doug Miller said Friday there are “huge opportunities” to buy distressed properties, which the company intends to pursue.

With a eye on natural gas prices, Dallas-based Exco Resources Inc. is dropping more than half of its drilling rigs in the Haynesville Shale this year, cutting one rig in the Marcellus and deferring well completions in natural gas plays. However, CEO Doug Miller said Friday there are “huge opportunities” to buy distressed properties, which the company intends to pursue.

Rosetta Resources Inc. will be dropping more than 90% of its $640 million 2012 capital budget in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas, the Houston-based company said last week.

Rosetta Resources Inc. will be dropping more than 90% of its $640 million 2012 capital budget in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas, the Houston-based company said Monday.

In the world of shale gas plays, the Haynesville is rather long in the tooth compared to the Eagle Ford, Marcellus and others. However, wells in the play are running “faster” for longer, enough so that production has continued to climb while the rig count has dropped. Analysts at Goldman Sachs said they’ve figured out how the Haynesville does it.