The downturn produced a leaner, more efficient U.S. shale industry that was forced to develop and quickly adapt new technology to compete with conventional oil supplies during a two-year period of depressed prices.

U.S. Rig Count is down 199 rigs from last year's count of 767, with oil rigs down 122, gas rigs down 78, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is unchanged from last year's count of 176, with oil rigs up 21 and gas rigs down 21.

Supply growth from nations outside the OPEC will be “just shy” of 500,000 barrels a day, an increase of 110,000 barrels a day from the agency’s forecast last month, it said Thursday. Russian production is likely to grow by 190,000 barrels a day, building on a 230,000-barrel increase in 2016.

“Eighty percent of voters support increased development of U.S. oil and natural gas resources including 71 percent of Democrats, 94 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Independents,”

ConocoPhillips has set its 2017 capital expenditures guidance at $5 billion, down 4% compared with its 2016 guidance of $5.2 billion and less than half of its 2015 capex and investments that totaled $10.1 billion. The firm recently cut its 2016 capex from $5.5 million.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that the goods and services deficit was $36.4 billion in September, down $4.0 billion from $40.5 billion in August, revised. September exports were $189.2 billion, $1.0 billion more than August exports. September imports were $225.6 billion, $3.0 billion less than August imports.

U.S. Rig Count is down 202 rigs from last year's count of 771, with oil rigs down 122, gas rigs down 82, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is down 31 rigs from last year's count of 185, with oil rigs down 3, gas rigs down 29, and miscellaneous rigs up 1.

U.S. Rig Count is down 218 rigs from last year's count of 775, with oil rigs down 137, gas rigs down 83, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is down 38 rigs from last year's count of 191, with oil rigs down 11, gas rigs down 28, and miscellaneous rigs up 1.

The North American market has continued to "grind slowly upwards" as the rig count, particularly in the US, ticks ahead from troughs seen six months ago, Martin Craighead said during a quarterly conference call with analysts. But "customers need to be more confident of the durability of those prices before making any significant change to their spending patterns," Craighead said.

U.S. crude oil production declined 8.9 percent from year ago levels. However, at an average of 8.6 million barrels per day, domestic crude oil production in September increased by 0.8 percent from August–the first month over month increase in six months. Compared with year to date 2015, domestic crude oil production declined 6.1 percent. Compared to third quarter of 2015, crude oil production decreased 8.5 percent for the third quarter of 2016. September crude oil production was the third highest level for the month and the second highest year to date level in 31 years, since 1985.