据美国钻井网站2021年8月6日报道，根据GlobalData的数据，尽管油价高企，美国页岩生产商仍保持着严格的生产和资本指导方针。
这家数据和分析公司指出，投入新开发的新钻机增加速度远远低于之前的价格周期，大多数美国页岩生产商正在把他们的生产和资本指导重点保持在保护资产负债表和产生自由现金流。
GlobalData强调，对于许多运营商来说，这导致了在过去6个月里已开钻但未完钻(DUC)库存井的数量减少，以减少资本支出，同时保持产量水平。 GlobalData指出，目前美国国内石油日产量平均约为1100万桶。
GlobalData上游油气分析师Steven Ho在一份公司声明中表示：“由于德尔塔毒株的变化，一些地区的经济复苏步伐存在不确定性，欧佩克+决定在2021年逐步增加产量，预计这将限制油价。”
“然而，由于生产商在2021年剩余时间内采取了对冲策略，美国至少有三分之一的非常规油气产量不会受到价格下跌的影响。 与此同时，这意味着，当现货价格高于预期时，一些运营商无法从中受益，因为他们的对冲操作实际上限制了他们能够获得的最高价格。”
Steven Ho 说，“美国页岩似乎找到了一种保持弹性的方法，并为任何时候的石油需求需要从非常规开发中获得更多原油做好了准备。 运营商现在需要采取更低的价格方案，并倾向于以成本效益高的方式运营。 他们还必须解决持续产生自由现金流的问题，继续实施最佳的对冲策略，降低债务水平，以及实现碳减排目标。”
GlobalData代表还强调，页岩行业的整合预计将会增加。 本月早些时候，彭博社报道称，据知情人士透露，德文能源公司和康菲公司是研究壳牌公司在二叠纪盆地油田投资组合的潜在买家。 7月份，Penn Virginia 公司透露已与Lonestar资源美国公司达成最终合并协议，以全股票交易的方式收购该公司。早在5月份，卡伯特油气公司和Cimarex能源公司同意合并。
李峻 编译自 美国钻井网站
原文如下：
USA Shale Producers Stay Disciplined
U.S. shale producers are remaining disciplined with production and capital guidance despite high oil prices, according to GlobalData.
The speed at which new rigs are put to new developments is considerably less than in previous price cycles, the data and analytics company noted, adding that most U.S. shale producers are being conservative in their production and capital guidance as priorities remain around protecting balance sheets and generating free cash flow.
GlobalData highlighted that, for many operators, this has led to a drawdown of drilled but uncompleted (DUC) inventory wells in the past six months to reduce capital expenditure while maintaining production levels. U.S. domestic production is currently averaging around 11 million barrels per day, GlobalData outlined.
“Uncertainty around the pace of economic recovery in some regions due to the Delta variant, and OPEC+’s decision to gradually increase output throughout 2021, is expected to restrict oil price,” Steven Ho, an upstream oil and gas analyst at GlobalData, said in a company statement.
“However, at least a third of U.S. unconventional production is protected against a drop in price due to producers hedging strategies that are in place for the remainder of 2021. At the same time, this means that some operators are not able to benefit whenever there is a higher than expected spot price, as their hedging effectively puts a cap align="justify"> “U.S. shale appears to be finding a way to remain resilient and prepared for whenever oil demand requires more crude oil from unconventional developments. Operators will now need to assume a lower price scenario and favor operating in a cost-efficient manner. They also must address concerns around sustaining the generation of free cash flow, keep implementing optimal hedging strategies, reduce debt levels, as well as meeting their carbon reduction targets,” Ho went align="justify"> The GlobalData representative also highlighted that there is an expectation for increased consolidation across the shale sector. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that, according to people familiar with the matter, Devon Energy Corp. and ConocoPhillips are among potential suitors studying Shell’s portfolio of Permian Basin oil fields. Last month, Penn Virginia Corporation revealed that it had entered into a definitive merger agreement with Lonestar Resources US Inc. to acquire the company in an all-stock transaction, and back in May, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. and Cimarex Energy Co. agreed to merge.