By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 1 -- US drilling activity dipped this week, down by 6 to 1,951 rotary rigs working, compared with 1,781 during the same period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
In an unusual occurrence, the only change from the previous week was in land rigs, down by 6 to 1,858 drilling. Offshore operations were unchanged with 67 rigs working in the Gulf of Mexico, the only federal waters now being drilled. Inland waters activity was unchanged with 26 active rigs.
Of the rigs working, 1,550 were drilling for natural gas, 5 fewer than the previous week. The number drilling for oil was down 1 to 392. There were 9 rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling was unchanged with 587 rigs involved. There were 377 rigs doing directional drilling, down 3.
Texas had the biggest loss among major producing states, down 6 rigs with 920 still working. New Mexico lost 4 with 80 active. Alaska's rig count was down 2 to 5. California and Arkansas were down 1 rig each to 43 and 56, respectively. Oklahoma and Wyoming were unchanged at 207 and 76, respectively. Partially offsetting the losses, North Dakota's rig count increased by 1 to 71. Louisiana gained 2 to 189. Colorado was up by 4 to 114.
Canada's weekly rig count increased by 16 to 451, up from 394 a year ago.
