Louisiana ranks 6th for oil production, 3rd for gas

As of the end of the second quarter, Louisiana ranks sixth in the country for total oil production and third for gas production, according to a newly released overview of drilling and production activity from the Oil & Gas Journal. While the northern portion of the state continues to be dominated by natural gas production along the Haynesville Shale, the report notes 2012 will not be as fruitful as in recent years. "During the last three years, gas production in the state has doubled, and in 2011, 62% of state gas production was sourced from the Haynesville," it reads. "Production levels have recently declined due to weak gas prices and a significant retrenchment in the number of rigs working in the Haynesville. Gas production in 2012 will fall from the 2011 level." The boom that hydraulic fracking has created in recent years is reflected in the ratio of gas to oil wells in the state, the report says. "In the mid-1980s, oil wells outnumbered gas wells two to one," it says, "while today, the numbers of producing oil and gas wells are nearly identical. North Louisiana has the majority of active wells in the state. In 2011, 33,863 producing wells [were] in the north, 5,916 were in the south, and 370 were offshore." You can check out the complete activity review of oil and gas production in Louisiana, which includes a number of historical graphs and charts, here. (Subscription may be required.)

comments powered by Disqus