WICHITA, Kan. – Like many states hit by the COVID- 19 pandemic, Kansas has experienced a significant decline in oil and gas production this year.
The Kansas Geological Survey reported earlier this month that oil production in July was 12.5 million barrels, a decline of more than 390,000 barrels or 13% from a year ago, according to the Independent Oil and Gas Service in Wichita. (A barrel is equivalent to 42 gallons.)
However, the decline was even greater when comparing the total oil production from January through July 2020 to a year ago. Production during the first seven months of this year was 16.35 million barrels compared to 33.2 million barrels during the same period last year – a drop of 47%.
The Geological Service said the number of producing oil wells, 46,875, was down nearly 4,700 or about 9% from a year earlier.
Natural gas production for July 2020 was down about 13% compared to July 2019. Production totaled 13.7 Mcf in July 2020 compared to 15.78 Mcf last year.
Total natural gas production so far from January to July was 97.69 Mcf, down 51% from the 184.09 Mcf produced in the same time period in 2019.
The number of producing gas wells in Kansas, according to the Geological Survey fell 9% from 21,171 last July to 20,005 as of July 2020.
Active oil and gas rigs in Oklahoma last week numbered 13, compared to 52 rigs one year ago, according to Baker Hughes.
Nationally the number of active rigs slipped to 310. A year earlier the count stood at 803.