The action can be seen as one of what will be several moves to undo the Obama administration's climate change regulations.
Many E&Ps are adding capex to complete wells and using new completion techniques in the Williston and Denver-Julesburg basins to improve profitability.
BP's upstream business is expected to generate free cash flow of $13 billion to $14 billion by 2021, nearly double an outlook presented last year of $7 billion to $8 billion by 2020.
Pruitt mentioned three rules that could meet the chopping block early on: the Waters of the U.S. rule; the Clean Power Plan; and the U.S. Methane rule.
Drillers added five oil rigs in the week to Feb. 24, bringing the total count up to 602, the most rigs since October 2015, energy services firm Baker Hughes Inc. (NYSE: BHI) said Feb. 24.
Ultra said in a statement that it expects the new agreements to provide financial benefits related to its operations at the Pinedale Field asset in Wyoming
In addition, BP raised the oil price at which it can balance its books this year to $60/bbl on Feb. 7 due to higher spending following a string of investments as annual earnings fell for a second consecutive year.
Dry gas output in 2016 averaged 72.36 Bcf/d as low energy prices reduced drilling activity. It was the first annual production decline since 2005.
Patterson-UTI will have more than 1.5 million hydraulic fracturing horsepower following the closing of the transaction, the U.S. driller said.
Zinke's choice was something of a surprise since some Republican officials wanted him to challenge Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana in the 2018 elections.