US oil rig count up slightly at end of last week
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
One oil rig was added to the U.S. count at the end of last week, taking the total number of rigs to 387, according to data from Baker Hughes Inc. This is the first time that oil rigs were added by drillers since December.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PowerSource reports that the natural gas rig count went down five rigs to 89.
The source reports that oil production fell to 9.07 million barrels last week, a drop of 10,000 barrels.
Read more: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PowerSource > U.S. oil drillers add one rig for first time in three months
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.