Updates
March 28, 2013 (in 2012, there were 29 days in February):
- Permits to date: 620
- Projected for 2013: 2,601
- Projected for 2012 same time one year ago: 1,989
- Permits issued in 2012: 2,521 with 30 or so ultimately canceled.
- Permits to date: 402
- Projected for 2013: 2,487
- Projected for 2012 same time one year ago: 1,862
- Permits issued in 2012: 2,521 with 30 or so ultimately canceled.
- Permits to date: 371
- Projected for 2013: 2,555
- Projected for 2012 same time one year ago: 1,901
- Permits issued in 2012: 2,521 with 30 or so ultimately canceled.
- Permits to date: 322
- Projected for 2013: 2,612
- Projected for 2012 same time one year ago: 1,841
- Permits issued in 2012: 2,521 with 30 or so ultimately canceled.
- Permits to date: 297
- Projected for 2013: 2,581
- Projected for 2012 same time one year ago: 1,790
- Permits issued in 2012: 2,521 with 30 or so ultimately canceled.
Original Post
Active rigs: 185 This is way too early to make these projections, but just for the fun of it: with regard to oil and gas permits in North Dakota, where are we compared to last year at this time?
Today's daily activity report with permits for today has not yet been issued.
As of yesterday, my database shows 275 oil and gas permits to date. Through February 7, that projects to 2,641 permits for the entire year (2013).
Last year, 2012, through February 7, there were 204 permits issued. Projecting that number through the end of the year showed 1,959 permits for the year. In fact, there were 2,521 permits issued last year (2012) with about 30 or so of those ultimately canceled.
So, for the 30-second sound bite: through February 7, 2013, there have been 275 permits for oil and gas wells issued compared to 204 permits this time last year. Those numbers project to more than 2,600 permits in 2013, compared to less than 2,000 in 2012.
Someone asked if operators might be "front loading" permits this year. I have no idea. A more reasonable explanation is pad drilling.
The rig count has stabilized in the 185 range.