据彭博社5月30日报道，石油勘探公司正在以10多年来最慢的速度开展钻探活动，因为当前能源需求大幅下降，相关企业的现金流、工作岗位甚至整个公司都受到了影响。

贝克休斯公司(Baker Hughes Co.)上周五公布的数据显示，本周全美共有15个钻井平台处于闲置状态，已达222个，为2009年以来的最低水平。西德克萨斯和新墨西哥的Permin盆地的产量大幅减少，该地区关闭了14个钻井平台。

在最近几周美国原油价格急剧下跌之后，石油公司放弃了钻探计划，并抛出了财务预测。在杠杆率最高的钻井公司中，破产正在加速，甚至雪佛龙（Chevron Corp.）等行业巨头也在裁员，并采取紧缩计划以节约资本。

Precision Drilling Corp.首席执行官凯文·内韦尤（Kevin Neveu）在本周早些时候的一次采访中表示，勘探公司现在正承受着压力，生产和活动都在放缓。

数据显示，多年来一直是美国石油产量爆发性增长的二叠纪地区，本周钻探量已降至2016年中期以来的最低水平。北达科他州巴肯地区的活动数量也有所下滑。钻井平台数量是一个备受关注的指标，因为它一直被认为是未来原油产量的指标。

美国基准石油期货本月上涨逾70%，至每桶约33美元。4月下旬，石油价格曾暴跌至-40.32美元/桶，引发了勘探者和他们所依赖的压裂井和供应管道公司的普遍恐慌。

根据美国能源信息署(EIA)的数据显示，自3月初以来，美国石油产量已下降12%，至1140万桶/天。这是自去年7月份美国原油期货价格高于55美元以来的最低水平。

王佳晶 摘译自 彭博社

原文如下：

Oil explorers revert to pre-shale drilling level across U.S.

Oil explorers are drilling at the slowest pace in more than a decade as the pandemic-driven collapse in energy demand wipes out cash flow, jobs and even entire companies.

Drillers idled 15 oil rigs across the U.S. this week, bringing the tally to 222, the lowest since 2009, according to Baker Hughes Co. data released on Friday. The Permin Basin of West Texas and New Mexico accounted for the bulk of the reduction, with 14 machines turned off.

Oil companies have abandoned drilling programs and tossed out financial forecasts in the wake of the crippling spiral that saw American crude prices turn negative in recent weeks. Bankruptcies are accelerating among the most heavily leveraged drillers, and even industry titans such as Chevron Corp. are slashing jobs and adopting austerity plans to conserve capital.

Explorers are “taking it on the chin right now, and certainly production is slowing down and activity is slowing down,” Precision Drilling Corp. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Neveu said in an interview earlier in the week.

In the Permian region -- which for years was the primary driver of explosive U.S. oil-production growth -- drilling fell this week to the lowest since mid 2016, the data showed. Activity also slipped in the Bakken region of North Dakota.

The rig count is a closely watched metric because it’s long been considered indicative of future crude production. The relationship is imperfect, however, because of the time lag between drilling a well and commencing production, as well as other factors such as the turning off of existing wells in response to price movements.

Benchmark U.S. oil futures have advanced more than 70 per cent this month to about US$33 a barrel. In late April, they collapsed to minus US$40.32, triggering widespread panic among explorers and the companies they rely on to frack wells and supply pipes.

U.S. oil production has fallen 12 per cent since early March to 11.4 million barrels a day, according to the Energy Information Administration. That’s the lowest since July, when American crude futures were above $55.