Slump

National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) CEO Pete Miller believes a slump in North American onshore drilling will continue through this year, but offshore activity is strong, and international activity is high on his radar, particularly in China.

National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) CEO Pete Miller believes a slump in North American onshore drilling will continue through this year, but the international energy equipment business is high on his radar, particularly in China.

Baker Hughes Inc., the industry’s third-largest oilfield services provider, said Friday the slump in U.S. natural gas activity weighed heavily on its latest quarterly profits. However, the No. 1 oilfield services provider, Schlumberger Ltd., managed to avoid the carnage in North America’s onshore by accelerating activity overseas.

With the natural gas price slump now being measured in terms of years instead of months, producers continue to pull rigs from dry gas unconventional plays to pursue oil targets, according to NGI’s Shale Daily Unconventional Rig Count.

Asia and the United States helped boost global consumption of natural gas by 7.4% in 2010 to a record 111.9 Tcf, effectively rebounding from a 2009 slump, according to the Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research firm based in Washington, DC.

Asia and the United States helped boost global consumption of natural gas by 7.4% in 2010 to a record 111.9 Tcf, effectively rebounding from a 2009 slump, according to the Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental research firm based in Washington, DC.

May natural gas futures continued their slide as traders reported no interest by commercial players and seemed resigned to the ongoing slump. Expectations are for a withdrawal in Thursday’s inventory report, but that is seen as little help to the bullish cause. At the end of the day May had retreated another 8.5 cents to $4.146 and June had given up 8.4 cents to $4.220. May crude oil continued its run higher, adding 49 cents to $108.83/bbl.

A slump in North American natural gas prices has led to higher-than-expected spending cuts by oil and gas producers this year, Barclays Capital analysts said last week.

A slump in North American natural gas prices has led to higher-than-expected spending cuts by oil and gas producers this year, Barclays Capital analysts said Monday.