As 'Sweet Spots' Fall Away, E&Ps Struggle to Navigate Break-Evens

摘要

While most US gas producers are laying down rigs or even curtailing production in response to dismal wellhead prices, why are some exploration and production companies (E&Ps) able to continue drilling or completing wells and turn a profit - albeit a narrow one - on each molecule they sell? The answer, analysts and industry officials say, comes down to two words: sweet spots. Those are the dwindling sub-basins where prolific volumes and ultra-low costs make for a profitable combination even in this extended bear market.