Michigan natural gas production continues steady decline;crude oil production trendline reflects surges resulting from southern Michigan Trenton-Black River activity

摘要

The story of Michigan crude oil and natural gas production over the past decade and a half has been one of steady,gradual declines in natural gas production,contrasted by much more dramatic surges and falloffs in crude oil production.Ongoing maturation of the Antrim Shale play and the lack of incentives to explore for natural gas reserves have resulted in cumulative annual production levels falling from more than 180 billion cubic feet(Bcf)per year in 2005 to just under 90 Bcf in 2018.On the crude oil side of the ledger,2018 production was down by 5.5% from the nearly 5.5 million barrels produced in 2005,but those numbers do not begin to capture the rollercoaster ride up and back down that occurred between 2007 and 2016.Re-discovery of southern Michigan Trenton-Black River oil in the mid-2000s and the developments that event kicked off led to an increase of nearly 40% in Michigan crude oil production from 2007 to 2013,primarily on the strength of activity in the Napoleon,Saline and Adrian fields.