By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 16 -- US drilling activity continued to increase with 1,491 rotary rigs working in the US and its waters this week, 15 more than the previous week and up sharply from the 975 units active in the comparable week a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations accounted for most of the gain, up 14 rigs with 1,421 drilling. Inland waters activity decreased by 1 rig to 14. US offshore gained 2 rigs to 55 in the Gulf of Mexico and a total 56 rigs in US waters.
Of the US rigs working, 973 are drilling for natural gas, up 14 from the previous week. The number drilling for oil increased by 1 to 506. There were 12 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 5 rigs to 754. Directional drilling added 7 rigs for a total 232.
Texas had the biggest increase among major producing states, up by 17 rigs to 645 working. Oklahoma and Arkansas gained 3 rigs each to 119 and 44, respectively. North Dakota, Colorado, California, West Virginia, and Alaska were unchanged with respective rig counts of 95, 51, 30, 22, and 10. New Mexico was down 1 rig to 49 drilling. Pennsylvania and Wyoming lost 2 rigs each to 76 and 35, respectively. Louisiana dropped 5 to 215 working.
Canada’s rotary rig count fell by 4 to 122 still drilling, up from 74 active rigs in the same period last year.
Photo from Esso SAF.
Map from Petrobras.
