Drilling slowdown hits Appalachia’s gas production

摘要

A commitment from Appalachia’s natural gas producers to slow drillingactivity in 2020 already appears to be taking its toll there, withDecember production levels likely to register their first monthly declinesince May.Through Tuesday, modeled output across the Marcellus andUtica shales has averaged 33.3 Bcf/d this month, roughly 170 MMcf/dbelow the November average, data from S&P Global Platts Analyticsshows.The largest decline has come from Pennsylvania’s northeast drywindow, where sample production has fallen by more than 160 MMcf/din December, or about 1.4% compared with the prior-month average.The state’s south dry window has witnessed a 1% retreat in samplereceipts over that same period, equivalent to about 60 MMcf/d. Smallergains and declines in output have been reported from other productionareas across the region.