Natural gas production in Pennsylvania increased by 14.5 percent from the second quarter (Q2) of 2018 to Q2 2019, according to the latest Natural Gas Production Report from Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO).
Total natural gas production volume for Q2 2019 was 1,668.9 billion cubic feet (bcf), the report said, citing recent data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Calendar year production is up 14.6 percent compared to the same period in 2018.
According to the report, Pennsylvania has seen a quarter-over-quarter increase in horizontal production for twelve consecutive quarters. From Q2 2017 to Q2 2019, horizontal production increased by 26.1 percent.
Average production per well has grown moderately so far in 2019, increasing by 5.4 percent through Q2. In 2018, average production per well grew by 33.9 percent.
There were 8,897 producing horizontal wells in Q2 2019, an 8.5 percent increase over the prior year. Total producing wells increased by 8.0 percent over the preceding year. Total non-producing wells increased by 1.4 percent compared to the prior year. Since the second quarter of 2017, total producing wells have increased by 19.3 percent.
According to the report, 163 new horizontal wells were spud in Q2 2019, a decrease of 23.5 percent from the previous year. This is the lowest number of new wells spud since the third quarter of 2016.
The report also included information on annual trends. For 2018, production volume was 6,115 bcf, 14.2 percent more than in the prior year. Production volume increased at an average rate of 28.6 percent per annum from 2011 to 2018. The number of producing wells was 8,738, an increase 10.7 percent from 2017. Average production per well in 2018 was 1,666 mmcf, an increase of 30.7 percent as compared to 2017. The inventory of wells was 1,460, a decrease of 6.4 percent from the prior year.
Pennsylvania ranked second behind Texas for natural gas production volume for calendar years 2017, 2018 and 2019.