Economics to the Forefront in the Marcellus-Utica

摘要

Weak commodity prices and the gloom of a protracted downturn in the U.S. oil and gas industry have cast a pall over markets across the Lower 48 where operators have either sought to plow through the trough, albeit with lower activity levels, or halt work all together until things improve. According to Baker Hughes, the U.S. land rig count stands at just under 900 rigs, down more than 1,000 units from this time last year and well off the 2008 peak of more than 2,000 active rigs. No region has shown much immunity to the downturn, including the resource-rich Marcellus-Utica in the northeastern U.S. Oil and gas prices looked to be on the rebound this spring, but the summer months have.seen pricing back down once again, fueled by weaker demand in Asia and uncertainty in the Midd'le 'East.