The number of drilling rigs working in the Barnett Shale is holding steady for now, but most observers expect a drop of 10 to 20 percent in the next six months as producers trim their spending in response to plummeting natural gas prices.

The number of drilling rigs working in the Barnett Shale is holding steady for now, but most observers expect a drop of 10 to 20 percent in the next six months as producers trim their spending in response to plummeting natural gas prices.