Crude oil production in April from the seven major US shale regions is expected to fall 106,000 b/d to 4.87 million b/d, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s latest Drilling Productivity Report (DPR). That includes a 4,000-b/d drop in the Permian to 2.04 million b/d.

U.S. Rig Count is down 13 rigs from last week to 489, with oil rigs down 8 to 392, and gas rigs down 5 to 97. Canadian Rig Count is down 46 rigs from last week to 129, with oil rigs down 33 to 50, and gas rigs down 13 to 79.

The United States is currently a net importer of natural gas, and gross imports represented nearly 10% of total supply in 2015, based on data through November. The United States imported 7.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas, mostly from Canada by pipeline, and exported 4.8 Bcf/d, mostly to Mexico by pipeline. For years, Alaska has exported LNG, mostly to Pacific Rim countries, but these volumes have been small. In addition to the Sabine Pass terminal that was the source of last week's LNG shipment, four other LNG export terminals are currently under construction.

U.S. Rig Count is down 12 rigs from last week to 502, with oil rigs down 13 to 400, and gas rigs up 1 to 102. Canadian Rig Count is down 31 rigs from last week to 175, with oil rigs down 26 to 83, and gas rigs down 5 to 92.

Lake of fire or not, the oil market has certainly become increasingly alarmed by vast pools of excess crude stored in tanks around the world, with more added every day. At the conference, senior executives and officials outlined a path for prices that remains low in the short term, somewhat higher by year-end and subject to furious swings along the way.

Following the path started in 2015, U.S. commercial crude oil inventories have continued to build in early 2016 and are nearing record highs.

OPEC launched a price war against U.S. shale and other high-cost producers, including Canadian oil sands and Brazilian deep-water oilfields, in November 2014 by not reducing output despite a global oversupply. Since then, oil prices have plunged by more than half, hitting a 12-year low of about $26 on Feb. 11.

U.S. Rig Count is down 27 rigs from last week to 514, with oil rigs down 26 to 413, and gas rigs down 1 to 101. Canadian Rig Count is down 16 rigs from last week to 206, with oil rigs down 9 to 109, and gas rigs down 7 to 97.

Mining and exploration investment declined 35% in 2015, the second largest year-over-year decline since the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) began reporting the series in 1948.

U.S. Rig Count is down 30 rigs from last week to 541, with oil rigs down 28 to 439, and gas rigs down 2 to 102. Canadian Rig Count is down 20 rigs from last week to 222, with oil rigs down 13 to 118, and gas rigs down 7 to 104.