Section 5. Crude oil and natural gas resource development

Monthly Energy Review, April, 2005

The March 2005 rotary rig count was 1,306, 2 percent higher than the count in February 2005 and 15 percent higher than the count in March 2004. Of the total number of rigs in operation, 1,209 were onshore and 97 were offshore. For March 2005, the number of onshore rigs was up 16 percent and the number of offshore rigs was up 3 percent from the March 2004 count. Rotary rigs drilling for natural gas as a share of total rigs stood at 86 percent in March 2005.

Total footage drilled in March 2005 was 18.6 million feet, 2 percent higher than the footage drilled in February 2005 and up 13 percent from that drilled in March 2004.

The number of exploratory and development crude oil and natural gas wells drilled during March 2005 was 2,870, 4 percent higher than the number drilled in February 2005 and up 17 percent from the number drilled in March 2004.

The number of crude oil wells drilled was 699, and the number of natural gas wells was 2,171, 22 percent higher and 16 percent higher, respectively, than their March 2004 levels.

The number of dry holes drilled in March 2005 was 397, up 1 percent from the number drilled in February 2005 and up 14 percent from the number drilled in March 2004.

There were 2.1 thousand well service rigs active in March 2005, slightly lower than the previous month but 5 percent higher than the count a year ago.

The number of seismic crews active in the 48 States onshore in March 2005 was 39, 4 more than a year earlier. The number of crews active in the 48 States offshore was 12, 2 more than a year earlier. No crews were active in Alaska in March 2005, the same as a year earlier.