Crude output in major US shale basins will fall by 116,000 b/d to 4.83mn b/d from January to February, according to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Production should drop in most formations including the Bakken, Eagle Ford, and Niobrara, while output in the top-producing Permian basin should increase slightly, the EIA said in its latest Drilling Productivity Report.
Eagle Ford production is expected to fall by 72,000 b/d to 1.15mn b/d in February. Bakken output in February should drop by 24,000 b/d to 1.1mn b/d. And Niobrara output is expected to fall by 23,000 b/d to 371,000 b/d.
Crude production in the Permian should rise by 5,000 b/d to 2.04mn b/d in February, which would be a 13pc increase from a year earlier. Output in the Permian continues to hold steady despite depressed commodity prices because of lower extraction costs. Several companies have decided to concentrate on the Permian while selling off assets in other fields.
The EIA report includes crude and natural gas production estimates in seven basins.
Utica crude output should increase slightly by 1,000 b/d to 79,000 b/d in February, while production in the Haynesville is expected to fall by 1,000 b/d to 51,000 b/d.
Marcellus oil production should slide by 2,000 b/d to 48,000 b/d.
The Marcellus is the top US natural gas producing field, with gas output this month expected to top 15.4 Bcf/d (436mn m³/d).
The EIA's monthly report bases its estimates on the rig count combined with existing productivity data and estimated changes in existing production. The seven fields accounted for 92pc of US crude production growth and 100pc of natural gas production growth from 2011-2014, the agency said.
US crude production has been resilient despite sharp drops in rig counts, but is finally showing signs of decline. Output was down by 1.2pc to 9.3mn b/d in October compared to the previous month, the EIA said in its most recent monthly data.
