By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 26 -- The US rig count plunged this week, down 75 units to 1,866 rotary rigs still working, in the biggest 1-week drop in some years.
That compares with 1,823 rugs drilling during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc. in an early report this week ahead of the Nov. 27 Thanksgiving holiday.
Land operations took most of the loss, down 74 rigs to 1,783 working. Offshore drilling lost 1 rig to 58 in the Gulf of Mexico and 61 total on US offshore leases. Inland waters activity was unchanged at 22 rigs working.
Of the rigs still working, 1,443 were drilling for natural gas, down 68 from last week. There were 412 rigs drilling for oil, down 7. There were 11 rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling fell by 16 rigs to 620. Directional drilling was down 8 to 370.
Oklahoma had the biggest loss among major producing states, down 14 rigs to 176 drilling. Wyoming dropped 6 to 76, and New Mexico lost 5 to 69. South Dakota was down 4 to 86. Louisiana, Colorado, and California dropped 2 rigs each to 190, 121, and 40, respectively. Arkansas was unchanged with 57. Alaska increased by 2 to 12, and Texas gained 5 to 890 rigs working.
Canada's rig count increased by 6 to 406, up from 381 rotary rigs working at this time a year ago.
