US Shale Firms Unlikely to Drill at $100 a Barrel Without Sustained High Prices, Executives Say

US shale firms unlikely to drill at $100 a barrel unless high prices last longer, executives say. ConocoPhillips not considering output boost, and even after a decision to boost output, it takes 6 months to a year to see the barrels. Nine months is the "very-best-case scenario." Shale producers face rising costs and maturing fields, and have focused on returning capital to shareholders rather than growing output.