Six South Texas counties prop up U.S. oil production

TEXAS – Over half of 2013 U.S. oil production came from 20 counties, six of which are located in South Texas’ Eagle Ford Shale, according DrillingInfo.

The 20 counties — half spread through Eagle Ford and North Dakota’s Bakken Shale — represent just 2 percent of U.S. oil-producing counties yet accounted for 52 percent of 2013’s output. Karnes County, southeast of San Antonio, ranked 7th on the list, making it the highest-producing county in the Lone Star State.

In 2014, the results are likely to skew even higher to shale locations, usually described as “unconventional” basins, according to Kevin Thuot, Drillinginfo engineering research analyst.

Top Texas oil producing counties include:

• Karnes County, with 214,000 barrels per day;
• LaSalle County, with 141,000 barrels per day;
• Dewitt County, with 133,000 barrels per day;
• Dimmit County, with 117,000 barrels per day;
• Gonzales County, with 116,000 barrels per day; and
• McMullen County, with 88,000 barrels per day.