The number of rigs drilling for natural gas in the United States has significantly declined over the past two years, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Between December 2022 and December 2024, the US natural gas-directed rig count dropped by 32% (50 rigs), with the decline most prominent in the natural gas-rich Haynesville and Appalachia regions. These two regions saw a combined 34% decrease in 2023 (43 rigs) and a 24% drop in 2024 (21 rigs).
The decline in drilling activity coincides with record-low natural gas prices for most of 2024, as well as the increasing adoption of advanced drilling and completion technologies, the EIA noted.
The Haynesville region, which spans Texas and Louisiana, has been hit particularly hard. Haynesville wells are typically drilled to depths between 10,500 and 13,500 feet, making drilling more expensive compared to other regions. As natural gas prices have generally fallen over the past two years, the number of rigs operating in Haynesville has plummeted by 55% (39 rigs) since December 2022, making drilling operations less economical.
As a result, marketed natural gas production in the Haynesville region has declined by 7% over the same period.