By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 25 -- US drilling continued to decline, down 14 rotary rigs with 1,699 still working this week, said Baker Hughes Inc. That compares with 1,373 rigs drilling in the comparable week a year ago.

Land drilling accounted for all of the loss, down 14 rigs to 1,658 active. Offshore activity and inland waters were unchanged at 25 and 16 units, respectively. All of the working offshore rigs are in the Gulf of Mexico.

Of the US rigs now working, the number drilling for natural gas increased by 1 to 906. Those drilling for oil were down 15 to 783. There were 10 rigs unclassified. Directional and horizontal drilling dropped 3 rigs each to 220 and 981, respectively.

Texas had the biggest loss among major producing states, down 9 rotary rigs to 738 working. New Mexico lost 3 to 73, and Alaska was down 1 to 6. Louisiana reported the only gain, up 1 rig to 171. All the rest were unchanged, as follows: Oklahoma, 158; North Dakota, 150; Pennsylvania, 110; Colorado, 60; Wyoming, 46; California, 38; Arkansas, 35; and West Virginia, 20.

Canada had 623 rotary rigs working this week, 13 fewer than the previous week but up from 576 in the same period last year.