據美國彭博新聞社休斯敦報道，由于美國石油勘探公司調整以適應石油需求和價格下降，壓裂工人3年來首次正在減少向頁巖井中泵入砂子。

根據科拉斯資源公司公布的統計數據，美國頁巖勘探公司在本季度期間平均每天向頁巖井泵入大約290萬磅的沙子，沙子泵入量自2017年第4季度以來首次減少增加。泵入每口頁巖井的沙子數量是壓裂效率的一個關鍵測量，這是因為泵入更多的沙子通常意味著更多的巖石裂縫允許原油流出。

科拉斯能源公司的創始人丹尼爾?克魯斯在周四（9月10日）的一份報告中寫道：“本季度美國勘探與生產公司投入的壓裂作業沒有得到同樣的回報。如果壓裂效率繼續下降，它將給美國頁氣生產帶來更大的壓力。”

由于疫情大流行削弱了全球對石油衍生產品的需求，壓裂工人和其他石油行業雇傭的工人在這次歷史性的原油崩盤中遭受了最嚴重的打擊。全球服務巨頭斯倫貝謝公司和哈里伯頓公司正將注意力轉向北美以外的地區，未來國際銷售將占它們業務的更多份額。

科拉斯資源公司稱，在美國壓裂作業隊伍的數量在5月中旬降到了100支低谷以后，已有40支壓裂作業隊伍重返工作，其中大部分壓裂作業隊伍重返位于西德克薩斯和新墨西哥州的二疊系盆地。

李峻 編譯自 彭博社

原文如下：

Frac pumping volumes lowest since 2017 as shale slowdown continues

Fracers are blasting less sand into shale wells for the first time in almost three years as oil explorers adjust to lower oil demand and prices amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shale explorers are pumping an average of roughly 2.9 million pounds of sand a day during the current quarter, marking the first time since the final three months of 2017 that growth has subsided, according to Coras Research LLC. Sand per well is a key measurement of frac efficiency because more sand typically means more of the rock fissures that allow crude to flow.

“E&Ps are not getting the same bang for their frac buck this quarter,” Daniel Cruise, founder of Coras, wrote in a report on Thursday. If frac efficiency continues to decline, it “would put more pressure on U.S. shale production going forward.”

Fracers and other hired hands of the oil patch have been among the most beaten up during the historic crude crash as the global pandemic saps demand for oil-derived products. Global service giants Schlumberger and Halliburton Co. are turning their attention outside of North America, with expectations for international sales to make up more of their business going forward.

After the number of active U.S. frac crews bottomed out at 100 in mid-May, 40 crews have been put back to work, mostly in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, according to Coras.