Opinion
Lower 48: How low can costs go?
Tight oil is in turmoil.
The sector was already under pressure before the coronavirus crisis knocked the bottom out of oil demand. Ever nimble, operators moved quickly, revising down CAPEX and production guidance. But the WTI crude futures benchmark plunging below zero for the first time in history this April is a sign of just how much pressure US producers are under.
Now, more than ever, players in the Lower 48 need to focus on what they can control. And managing unit costs is one of the few remaining survival levers available. But just how low can costs go? Pricing for key components had already fallen by double-digit percentages last year.
