U.S. Oil and Natural Gas Wells by Production Rate

10 Dec U.S. Oil and Natural Gas Wells by Production Rate

London, December 10, 2025, (Oilandgaspress) –– In December 2023, U.S. oil production, which includes crude oil and lease condensate, averaged 13.3 million barrels per day (b/d), and U.S. natural gas production (gross withdrawals) averaged 128.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). U.S. oil production and natural gas production both increased in 2024, with oil production averaging 13.4 million b/d and natural gas production averaging 128.8 Bcf/d in December 2024.1

The number of producing wells in the United States reached a high of 1,031,161 wells in 2014 but declined to 930,445 wells by 2023 and continued to decline in 2024 to 918,481 wells (Figure 1). The percentage share of horizontal wells during the past decade increased from 10% in 2014 to 22% in 2024, which illustrates the impact of technological change on well type (Figure 2). Since 2018, more than two-thirds of U.S. oil and natural gas production has come from wells that produced between 100 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/d) and 3,200 BOE/d (Figure 3 and Figure 4). However, most individual wells are not that productive; the share of U.S. oil and natural gas wells producing 15 BOE/d or less remained steady at about 80% from 2000 through 2022 and declined to 78% in 2023 through 2024 (Figure 1).

This report provides yearly estimates of producing oil and natural gas wells in the United States, which are grouped according to volume among 22 production volume brackets that range from less than 1 BOE/d to more than 12,800 BOE/d. We designate wells as either oil or natural gas wells based on a gas-oil ratio (GOR) of 6,000 cubic feet of natural gas to 1 barrel (cf/b) of oil for each year’s production. If the GOR is equal to or less than 6,000 cf/b, we classify the well as an oil well for that year. If the GOR is greater than 6,000 cf/b, we classify the well as a natural gas well for that year.

The distribution tables for the production rates of all U.S. oil and natural gas wells range from calendar years 2000 through 2024. Appendix B provides summary breakouts for the total United States, each state, the Federal Offshore Gulf of America, and the Federal Offshore Pacific. You can use the Appendix C spreadsheet to generate figures for all regions.

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