Number Of DUCs Not Decreasing In The Bakken, Permian -- December 16, 2020

Note: the numbers in the spreadsheet below were transcribed from another source. It was difficult to read the chart and some of my numbers may be incorrect. I believe the most important columns ( the number of DUCs for the Bakken and the Permian) are accurate.

One of the most common memes regarding DUCs this past year was that the oil companies were making a major effort to complete DUCs to maintain production. 

The reader and I did not see that in either the Bakken or the Permian. Note the first column, month/year. 

Since January, 2020:

• DUCs in the Bakken:
• relatively stable, but did decrease from 843 (January, 2020) to 806 (November, 2020);
• it matters which months you compare: from January, 2020, to July, 2020, the number of DUCs actually increased
• DUCs in the Permian:
• relatively stable, but DUCs actually increased from 3,409 (January, 2020) to 3,516 (November, 2020)

Bakken	Drilled	Completed	DUCs	Permian	Drilled	Completed	DUCs
Jan 14	178	143	605	Jan 14	581	590	650
Dec 14	224	194	732	Dec 14	634	577	1041
Jan 17	62	52	781	Jan 17	352	259	1297
Dec 17	77	65	733	Dec 17	473	382	2034
Jan 18	107	72	768	Jan 18	487	403	2118
Dec 18	108	70	741	Dec 18	537	416	2937
Jan 19	120	71	838	Jan 19	585	476	3046
Dec 19	94	86	884	Dec 19	449	453	3417
Jan 20	99	94	843	Jan 20	448	438	3409
Mar 20	94	108	824	Mar 20	460	442	3447
Jul 20	18	25	860	Jul 20	149	101	3562
Oct 20	19	32	818	Oct 20	141	156	3536
Nov 20	20	32	806	Nov 20	148	168	3516