Horizontal wells are more expensive to drill than vertical wells, but they contact more reservoir rock and therefore produce greater volumes. Only 1 percent of vertical wells produced at least 100 barrels per day of crude oil in 2018, according to figures by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Still, 32 percent of horizontal wells produced at least 100 barrels per day.
Horizontal drilling gains ground
As horizontal wells became more common, production growth continued as the well count fell. Wells classified as non-horizontal have decreased 10 percent to 842,000 in 2018, while the 140,000 horizontal wells drilled that year made up 14 percent of the total.
Even with fewer wells, U.S. oil production grew from 8.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2014 to 10.8 million b/d in 2018. During that same period, U.S. natural gas production (gross withdrawals) increased from about 78.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) to 94.8 Bcf/d.
Crude oil and natural gas production has continued to grow since early last year. In November 2019, crude oil production had increased to about 12.9 million b/d and natural gas production had increased to 116.9 Bcf/d.
Most U.S. oil and natural gas production comes from wells producing between 50 barrel of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) and 1,600 boe/d. Wells within this range accounted for 9% of active wells that produced 66 percent of crude oil production and 62% of natural gas production.