For domestic operations involving hard rock and deep oil and gas plays, improvements in drilling penetration rates are an opportunity to reduce well costs and make viable certain field developments. These regions include the Rocky Mountains, Tuscaloosa trend, Anadarko basin, and several other areas. An estimate of North American hard rock drilling costs is in excess of $1,200 MM. Thus potential savings of $200 MM to $600 MM are possible if penetration rates are doubled [and assuming bit life is reasonable]. The net result for operators is improved profit margin as well as an improved position on reserves.