Shale drillers in US resume growth run in low-cost Texas plays

Houston

SHALE drillers resumed putting oil and natural gas rigs back to work in the United States, as ever-lower costs help to fuel the biggest drilling reboot since the downturn began.

The number of land rigs targeting crude and gas in the US jumped by 14 to 482 last week, led by adds in the Permian and Eagle Ford plays in Texas, according to data on Baker Hughes Inc's website. The increase was partly eclipsed by seven offshore rigs idled in the Gulf of Mexico because of Hurricane Hermine. Since the end of June, a total of 93 rigs have resumed drilling.