据路透社报道，本周，随着美国能源公司跟进削减开支计划，美国连续第二周减少了石油钻机数量，减少至2018年3月以来的最低水平。

尽管钻机数量有所削减，但预计美国最大的页岩油地层二叠纪的开采量仍将保持在创纪录水平上。

能源服务公司贝克休斯在上周五公布的一份报告中称，截至5月17日的一周内，能源企业削减了3座石油钻机，使总数量降至802座，低于一年前同期的844座。

美国超过一半的石油钻机都在该国最大的页岩油地层——二叠纪盆地。该地区现役钻机本周削减3座，降至454座，与3月份最低点的数量持平，为2018年4月以来的最低水平。

不过，埃克森美孚和雪佛龙等大型石油公司正在扩大其业务，尤其是在美国最大的页岩油田二叠纪。

美国能源信息管理局（EIA）本周预测，美国7大页岩地层的石油产量将在6月份升至创纪录的每天849万桶。

美国金融服务公司Cowen本周表示，其跟踪的勘探和生产公司提供的预测表明，2019年钻探和完工资本支出比2018年下降了5%。

Cowen表示，独立生产商预计2019年的开支将减少11%，而大型石油公司计划增加16%。其跟踪的所有勘探与生产公司在2019年将投资819亿美元，而在2018年投资了864亿美元。

今年到目前为止，在美国活跃的石油和天然气钻机总数平均为1029座，大多数钻井同时生产石油和天然气。

然而，美国投资银行Piper Jaffray能源专家西蒙斯公司的分析师们本周预测，石油和天然气钻机平均总量将从2018年1032座的四年高点降至2019年的1019座，2020年或升至1097座，符合其4月初以来的预测。

詹晓晶 摘自 路透社

原文如下：

U.S. oil drillers cut rigs to lowest count since March 2018: Baker Hughes

U.S. energy firms this week reduced the number of oil rigs operating for the second week in a row, with the rig count at its lowest since March 2018, as some drillers follow through on plans to cut spending.

Despite those cuts, production in the nation’s biggest shale formations was expected to keep rising from record levels.

Drillers cut three oil rigs in the week to May 17, bringing the total count down to 802, below the 844 units operating a year ago, General Electric Co’s Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday.

More than half the total U.S. oil rigs are in the Permian basin, where active units decreased by three this week to 454, matching a recent low hit in March that was the lowest since April 2018.

Major oil companies, like Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp, however, are boosting their presence, particularly in the Permian, the largest U.S. shale oil field.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) this week projected U.S. oil output from seven major shale formations would rise to a fresh record high of 8.49 million barrels per day (bpd) in June.

U.S. financial services firm Cowen & Co this week said that projections from the exploration and production (E&P) companies it tracks point to a 5% decline in capital expenditures for drilling and completions in 2019 versus 2018.

Cowen said independent producers expect to spend about 11 percent less in 2019, while major oil companies plan to spend about 16% more.

In total, Cowen said all of the E&P companies it tracks that have reported will spend about $81.9 billion in 2019 versus $86.4 billion in 2018.

Year-to-date, the total number of oil and gas rigs active in the United States has averaged 1,029. Most rigs produce both oil and gas.

Analysts at Simmons & Co, energy specialists at U.S. investment bank Piper Jaffray, however, forecast the average combined oil and gas rig count will slide from a four-year high of 1,032 in 2018 to 1,019 in 2019 before rising to 1,097 in 2020.

That is the same as Simmons predictions since early April.

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