US drilling activity increases for third week

Jan. 19, 2007
US drilling activity continued to grow for the third consecutive week despite a blanket of ice and snow across much of the nation, increasing by 28 rotary rigs to 1,745 units working this week, up from 1,472 during the same period in 2006, said Baker Hughes Inc.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 19 -- US drilling activity continued to grow for the third consecutive week despite a blanket of ice and snow across much of the nation, increasing by 28 rotary rigs to 1,745 units working this week, up from 1,472 during the same period in 2006, said Baker Hughes Inc.

Land operations accounted for the bulk of the increase, up by 27 rigs to 1,638 working. Offshore drilling increased by 1 rig to 82 in the Gulf of Mexico and 84 in US waters. Drilling in inland waters was unchanged at 23 rotary rigs.

The number of rigs working in Texas jumped again this week, up by 19 to 808 working, following a gain of 22 rigs the previous week. Colorado's rig count increased by 7 to 98, while New Mexico was up by 3 to 89 working. Louisiana and Alaska were unchanged at 190 and 9.

That was offset by a drop of 12 rotary rigs to 171 working in Oklahoma, a state that was hit hard by ice storms early in the week. Wyoming lost 3 rigs to 82. California was down by 1 to 34.

Canada's rig count increased by 20 to 606 this week, still down from 675 in the same period a year ago.