Analysts had hoped that oil production at the Permian Basin would hit record highs in October, with the EIA forecasting a 66,000-bpd increase. As the active rig count drops in the basin, however, analysts may soon have to revise those forecasts. Shale drillers are prioritizing returns to shareholders and paying down debts while at the same time dealing with supply chain problems and inflation. Current forecasts of U.S. crude oil production growth may have to be significantly revised as the recent slide in active drilling rigs in the top shale basin, the Permian, suggests that output may disappoint due to supply chain constraints and cost inflation in the double digits. The rig count in the Permian Basin dropped by 2 to 340 last week, as the number of total active drilling rigs in the United States dropped by 1, according to new data from Baker Hughes published on Friday. […]