May 2017

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 0.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017, according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2016, real GDP increased 2.1 percent.

Exxon Mobil Corporation announced estimated first quarter 2017 earnings of $4 billion, or $0.95 per diluted share, compared with $1.8 billion a year earlier, resulting from improvements in commodity prices, cost management and refining operations

Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) reported earnings of $2.7 billion ($1.41 per share – diluted) for first quarter 2017, compared with a loss of $725 million ($0.39 per share – diluted) in the 2016 first quarter. Included in the quarter was a gain of approximately $600 million from the sale of an upstream asset. Foreign currency effects decreased earnings in first quarter 2017 by $241 million, compared with a decrease of $319 million a year earlier.

The Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC), in its second update to the 2017 Canadian Drilling Activity Forecast, announced its revision of the forecasted number of wells drilled (rig released) across Canada for 2017 to 6,680 wells. This represents an increase of 2,505 wells and a 60 per cent increase from PSAC’s original 2017 Drilling Activity Forecast released in early November 2016 of 4,175 wells rig released. PSAC based its updated 2017 forecast on average natural gas prices of $3.00 CDN/mcf (AECO), crude oil prices of US$52.50/barrel (WTI) and the Canada-US exchange rate averaging $0.74.

U.S. Rig Count is up 450 rigs from last year's count of 420, with oil rigs up 365, gas rigs up 84, and miscellaneous rigs up 1. Canadian Rig Count is up 48 rigs from last year's count of 37, with oil rigs up 14, gas rigs up 35, and miscellaneous rigs down 1.