U.S. shale boom less potent than expected, new data show

Oil rigs drill into the Permian Basin outside of Midland Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle ) Oil rigs drill into the Permian Basin outside of Midland Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Staff Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Staff Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close U.S. shale boom less potent than expected, new data show 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

New data shows the surge in shale drilling hasn't lifted U.S. oil production as much as expected.

In a monthly report on Monday, the Energy Department said the nation's daily output rose 0.6 percent to 9.17 million barrels in May, well below its original forecast of 9.32 million for that month.

Texas outpaced the rest of the country, boosting output by 2.3 percent, or 78,000 barrels a day, as the oil fields in the Permian Basin surged. In New Mexico, parts of which share the Permian, production rose by 14,000 barrels a day. Colorado put out an extra 10,000 barrels a day.

But other oil-rich states stalled out. In Alaska, Louisiana, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Wyoming, oil production collectively dropped nearly 45,000 barrels a day in May. It's another sign the oil industry's uneven recovery has left several U.S. oil fields behind as drillers focus on the prolific Permian.

HoustonChronicle.com: Oil industry continues to recover, but focused on Texas

At the end of each month, the Energy Department releases a report on U.S. oil production that is based on a survey of producers. The agency's more frequent, weekly report – its first pass at calculating U.S. oil production – is widely considered less accurate than its monthly data because it is based on a formula rather than a survey.

In this case, the monthly report showed U.S. oil production came in roughly 150,000 barrels a day lower than the weekly figures.

Related: Will U.S. shale come up short?