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US drillers cut oil and gas rigs for 2nd time in 3 weeks - Baker Hughes

U.S. energy companies today cut the variety of oil and gas rigs operating for the 2nd time in three weeks, energy services firm Baker Hughes stated in its carefully followed report on Friday.

The oil and gas rig count, an early indication of future output, fell by two to 621 in the week to Feb. 16.<< RIG-USA-BHI >. << RIG-OL-USA-BHI >< RIG-GS-USA-BHI > the total rig count down 139, or. 18% listed below this time in 2015. Baker Hughes said U.S. oil rigs fell two

to 497 today,. while gas rigs were the same at 121. The U.S. oil and gas rig count dropped about 20%

in 2023. after rising by 33 %in 2022 and 67% in 2021, due to a decrease in. oil and gas prices, higher labor and devices costs from. skyrocketing inflation and as business focused more on shareholder. payouts than on brand-new drilling projects. U.S. oil futures were up about 10% up until now

in 2024. after stopping by 11% in 2023. U.S. gas futures,. on the other hand, were down about 37% up until now in 2024 after plunging by. 44% in 2023.

Oil majors are

targeting brand-new oilfields

If unrefined rates fall to about, that can be rewarding even. $ 30 per barrel, utilizing a third year of rising need to improve. portfolios amidst uncertainty over the industry's future.

Meanwhile, some gas producers stated they would slash costs. and decreasing drilling activity following a sharp decline in. prices to a 3-1/2- year low this week. Analysts, nevertheless, noted. those rig reductions would likely not show up in the data for a. few months.

Nineteen of the independent exploration and production (E&P). companies tracked by U.S. monetary services firm TD Cowen said. they planned to cut costs by around 3% in 2024 versus 2023.

In 2023, 25 of the E&P s TD Cowen tracks said they prepared to. raise spending by around 27% versus the prior year after. improving spending about 40% in 2022 and 4% in 2021.

(source: Reuters)