Texas still leads in oil production

WASHINGTON, May 13 (UPI) -- Oil production from the Eagle Ford shale play in Texas is expected to increase by 27,000 barrels per day next month, a U.S. government report said.

The Energy Information Administration published its drilling productivity report Monday showing anticipated production levels across the six regions -- Bakken, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Marcellus, Niobrara and Permian -- that combine to account for 90 percent of domestic oil production growth and nearly all of the gas production growth between 2011 and 2012.

For Eagle Ford, EIA said it expects oil production to increase by 27,000 bpd to reach 1.41 million bpd by June.

Texas is the nation's No. 1 oil producer, with a January output of 89 million barrels, more than twice the level of the No. 2 producer, North Dakota.

For North Dakota's Bakken formation, EIA expects production levels to increase by 22,000 bpd in June to reach 1.07 million bpd.

In a short-term market report published last week, EIA said total U.S. crude oil production averaged 8.3 million bpd in April, the highest monthly average since March 1988. By 2015, the average should reach 9.2 million bpd, the highest level in more than 40 years.