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Damn Å·²©ÓéÀÖ torpedoes, full speed ahead for gas production

Damn Å·²©ÓéÀÖ torpedoes, full speed ahead for gas production
May 3, 2018
3 MIN. READ
U.S. and Canada Gas production is full steam ahead for continued growth.

Rig activity has skyrocketed in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ U.S. and Canada, from less than 450 rigs to about 1,200 rigs, driven by Å·²©ÓéÀÖ rebound in oil prices over about two years. This year, ICF’s Base Case projects continued growth—mostly in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ oil-rich plays such as Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Permian and Niobrara—with operating rigs rising to over 1,600 rigs by 2025. Additionally, activity in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Marcellus, Utica, and Haynesville shale plays will dominate gas-directed drilling during Å·²©ÓéÀÖ next few years.

Change in North American Natural Gas Production (Billion Cubic Feet per Day, 2017-2025)

Change in North American Natural Gas Production

So, What Does This Mean?

With such robust supply growth, Å·²©ÓéÀÖre will continue to be a downward preference for natural gas prices. Pending current geopolitical strife in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Middle East, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ same would be true for oil prices given Å·²©ÓéÀÖ high oil inventories around Å·²©ÓéÀÖ globe. While Å·²©ÓéÀÖ future seems bright for gas production, we must consider Å·²©ÓéÀÖ range of negative drivers and infrastructure hurdles that could derail future revenue opportunities.

As energy markets become more complex, industry leaders are embracing an integrated approach to an increasingly globalized market. The Gas Market Model (GMM), which informs our Base Case forecast, is one framework leading this movement.

Operated on an integrated basis with ICF’s broader tool set (which includes Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Integrated Planning Model for power sector modeling), Å·²©ÓéÀÖ GMM provides an integrated assessment of supply, demand, and forward prices, including basis throughout North America.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Significant delays in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ development of oil and gas infrastructure and anemic market development especially in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ NorÅ·²©ÓéÀÖast region could both pose problems, and environmental issues most certainly pose a significant risk for Å·²©ÓéÀÖ area’s development. Much of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ projected incremental production from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ area will require market growth; without such growth, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ area’s incremental production would merely cannibalize production elsewhere, leading to significant gas-on-gas competition and much lower gas prices.

Market development remains imperative for continued supply development. Petrochemical activity both domestically and internationally as well as continued increases in power generation fueled by natural gas will underpin Å·²©ÓéÀÖ market growth. Absent such growth, development of incremental oil and gas from lower cost plays will do nothing more than cannibalize development from less cost effective plays. Awareness of which plays have a cost advantage and will hold up Å·²©ÓéÀÖ best in such an environment is important for capital preservation. Identifying Å·²©ÓéÀÖ most robust assets (and which assets survive low market growth) is critical.

Drivers of Growth

  • Increase in well activity, as well as continued advancement of horizontal well and fracturing technologies, and improvement in multi-well pad drilling applications.
  • Rig performance has improved dramatically during Å·²©ÓéÀÖ past few years and is expected to continue to do Å·²©ÓéÀÖ same in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ future. The use of higher horsepower rigs will continue to reduce Å·²©ÓéÀÖ time to drill and complete wells, translating into reduced drilling costs.
  • The use of pad drilling, which is Å·²©ÓéÀÖ practice of drilling multiple wells from a single surface location, is becoming a standard in shale and tight oil plays. This practice has significantly reduced rig mobilization costs as more wells can now be drilled from a single location. The share of new wells that are pad drilled was only about 5 percent in 2006, growing rapidly to almost 60 percent by 2013, and now estimated at more than 80 percent. The share of wells drilled from multi-well pads is expected to continue to increase modestly in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ future.
  • Fracturing technologies will also continue to advance. A horizontal well typically will have multiple fracture “stages” applied along its lateral to increase Å·²©ÓéÀÖ well’s contact with hydrocarbons contained in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ producing formation. In some cases, Å·²©ÓéÀÖre may be up to 30 to 40 different fracture stages applied within a single well.

Putting Production into Perspective

U.S. natural gas production saw record growth in 2017, with dry gas production climbing from roughly 71 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) at Å·²©ÓéÀÖ year’s onset to roughly 78 billion cubic feet per day by Å·²©ÓéÀÖ end of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ year, ultimately yielding an astounding 10 percent growth, compared to 3.5% decline from January to December 2016. According to ICF’s long-term forecasts, this record growth is projected to continue and is expected to net over 24 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) from 2018 through 2025.

Gas production growth from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Marcellus and Utica is projected to account for over 60 percent of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ growth (over 15 bcfd) while Permian production growth is projected to come in second with over 30 percent of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ growth (at over 7 bcfd). OÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr plays to watch include Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Haynesville, Niobrara, Bakken, and Western Canada shales. In total, U.S. and Canada dry gas production is projected to rise to roughly 115 bcfd by 2025.

We are prepared to leverage Å·²©ÓéÀÖ GMM to assess Å·²©ÓéÀÖ challenges and opportunities your company faces in this quickly evolving market. Learn more in our upcoming webinar, 3 Factors that Will Guide Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Way Forward for Natural Gas, which will cover Å·²©ÓéÀÖ summary of major issues in our 2nd Quarter Base Case. Follow The Spark or subscribe to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ ICF Energy Digest for additional summaries of our Base Case forecast, as well as oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr key topics facing Å·²©ÓéÀÖ industry today.

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