US rig activity still climbing

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 4 -- The US rotary rig count continued climbing this week, up by 7 to 1,739 units working compared with 1,335 in the comparable week in 2010, said Baker Hughes Inc.

As usual land drilling was responsible for the bulk of the increase with the addition of 7 units for a total 1,696. Offshore activity increased by 1 rig to 27, all in the Gulf of Mexico. A year ago, there were 44 offshore rigs drilling in US waters, including 42 in the gulf.

The offshore gain this week was offset by a decline of 1 rig in inland waters to 16.

Of the US rigs now working, the number drilling for natural gas declined by 2 to 911. Those drilling for oil increased by 9 to 818. There were 10 rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 8 units to 981. Directional drilling decreased by 8 units to 229.

Texas posted the biggest gain this week, up 10 to 750 rigs working. New Mexico increased by 3 to 80. Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Alaska added 1 rig each for respective totals of 175, 109, and 7. Unchanged were Colorado at 64; Wyoming 47; Arkansas, 36; and West Virginia 20. Oklahoma’s rig count dipped by 1 to 165 still drilling. California was down 2 units to 38. North Dakota dropped 6 to 148.

Canada’s rig count lost 11 with 626 rotary rigs still drilling. That’s up from 557 in the same period a year ago.