Recorded

Physical natural gas prices Wednesday rose on average nationally by nearly 3 cents, and most points recorded gains ranging from fractional increases to a few pennies, while more than a handful of locations experienced small losses. Great Lakes and eastern points managed gains of 2-3 cents, but New England couldn’t escape the grip of a soft power market and it was flat to a penny lower. At the close of futures trading, July had added 5.8 cents to $3.963 and August was up 5.8 cents as well to $3.985. July crude oil slipped 20 cents to $98.24/bbl.

Coming out of its coldest April and wettest May ever recorded, North Dakota’s latest oil and natural gas statistics show the amounts of oil transported by rail shot up to 75% in April while new wells connected set a record at 185. Overall, April oil/gas production was down compared to March, but the daily averages set all-time records on a preliminary basis (793,249 b/d and 846 MMcf/d).

Coming out of its coldest April and wettest May ever recorded, North Dakota’s latest oil and natural gas statistics show the amounts of oil transported by rail shot up to 75% in April while new wells connected set a record at 185. Overall, April oil/gas production was down compared to March, but the daily averages set all-time records on a preliminary basis (793,249 b/d and 846 MMcf/d).

Low natural gas prices didn’t deter U.S. operators from boosting upstream spending in 2012, according to data compiled by Ernst & Young.

Houston-based Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. turned in first quarter results that included record production and revenue driven by record oil results.

Fresh off an asset streamlining and an Eaglebine joint venture (JV) formation with EOG Resources Corp. (see Shale Daily, March 26), Houston-based ZaZa Energy Corp. executives are touting their heavy weighting to the emerging stacked South Texas play and said what’s learned from the JV will add value to the company’s 100% owned acreage.

The fourth quarter was Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc.’s ninth consecutive quarter of revenue growth and one during which it charted record oil production and oil revenue, affirming the wisdom of management’s decision to transform Carrizo into an oil company, CEO Chip Johnson said.

Texas crude oil production during November was up from a year ago while natural gas production declined; during December, oil well completions were up while gas well completions declined, and the number of drilling permits issued was down from a year ago, according to the latest figures from Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

The number of original drilling permits issued in Texas during November declined from one year ago, as did the amount of natural gas produced from Texas wells during October compared to a year ago, according to Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) figures.