The vast majority of tight oil and shale gas formations in the US are using horizontal wells for production, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
About 15 years ago, horizontal wells made up 15% of crude output and 14% of natural gas production in shale plays. In 2018, that percentage jumped to 96% and 97%, respectively.
Horizontal wells surpassed the number of vertical wells in US shale formations in 2017.
