Will rapidly rising oilfield service costs derail efforts by companies to maintain fiscal austerity while hitting their production targets?
That question emerged as a major theme during fourth-quarter earnings calls, and analysts say the answer is an emphatic no. WTI oil prices that have risen from a 2015-2017 average of $48/b to roughly $60/b have buoyed the industry and settled a blanket of confidence over oil company boardrooms.