US drilling activity slips lower

June 22, 2007
US drilling activity continued to bobble, down by 2 rotary rigs this week to 1,771 rigs working, compared with 1,669 in the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc. June 22.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 22 -- US drilling activity continued to bobble, down by 2 rotary rigs this week to 1,771 rigs working, compared with 1,669 in the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc. June 22.

Land operations accounted for the loss, dropping 8 units to 1,667 working this week. That was offset by a gain in offshore drilling, up 5 rotary rigs to 80 in the Gulf of Mexico and 81 in US waters as a whole. Inland-waters drilling increased by 1 rig to 23.

Among the major producing states, Texas was down 12 rigs to 825 working this week. Oklahoma and Wyoming lost 2 rigs each, to respective counts of 195 and 75. Colorado and Alaska were down 1 rig each to 110 and 7, respectively. On the other hand, Louisiana's weekly rig count jumped by 9 to 180. New Mexico increased by 4 to 82, and California was up 1 to 33.

Canada's weekly rig count fell by 46 to 205, down from 392 last year.