US drilling activity dips slightly

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 16 -- US drilling activity slipped slightly this week, down 4 units with 1,797 rotary rigs still working, compared with 1,696 active rigs in the same period last year, said Baker Hughes Inc.

Land operations suffered the biggest lost, down 8 rigs to 1,706 drilling. Activity in inland waters declined by 3 rigs to 27 working. That was somewhat offset, however, by an increase of 7 rigs in offshore drilling to 64, including the rise of 5 to 61 in the Gulf of Mexico.

New Mexico and Wyoming had the biggest increases in weekly rig counts among the major producing states, up 4 each to 73 and 75, respectively. California gained 2 to 41. Louisiana was unchanged with 165 rotary rigs working. Colorado's count was down 5 rigs to 111 drilling. Texas lost 3 to 857. Oklahoma and Alaska lost 2 rigs each to 196 and 9, respectively.

Canada's rig count dipped by 5 to 356, compared with 452 rigs working during the same period in 2006.