As oil prices began recovering from 13-year lows early this year, U.S. shale producers ramped up their hedges against another slump on a scale unseen for at least a year, a Reuters analysis of company disclosures shows. A review of disclosures by the largest 30 U.S. shale firms showed 17 of them increased their hedge books in the first quarter, the most at least since early 2015. Several, including EOG Resources Inc ( EOG.N ) and Devon Energy Corp ( DVN.N ), two of the biggest shale companies, secured significant protection of future earnings for the first time in at least six months. A greater volume of hedged production typically indicates more drilling activity ahead as producers that locked in prices for a sizeable […]