EIA: Drilled but uncompleted well count continues declining in US
Friday, October 14, 2022
In its latest Drilling Productivity Report, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the least amount of drilled but uncompleted wells across the United States since the agency started tracking that metric in October 2013, according to Rigzone.
Drilled but uncompleted wells totaled 4,283 in August 2022. The record-low count indicates that more wells are being completed, while fewer new wells are being drilled.
The number of drilled but uncompleted wells reached a record of more than 8,800 in the second quarter of 2020. Since June 2020, the overall number of drilled but uncompleted wells has steadily declined by an average of 227 DUCs per month during 2021 and by 82 DUCs per month during 2022.
Learn more: Rigzone > Drilled but uncompleted U.S. well count continues declining
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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.