By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 29 -- US drilling activity continued to increase with 18 more rotary rigs working this week for a total 1,818, compared with 1,483 units drilling during the same period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations had the largest gain, of course, up 15 to 1,769 rigs working. Inland waters activity increased by 2 to 20. Offshore drilling gained 1 rig for a total 29 drilling, including 28 in the Gulf of Mexico.
Of the US rigs working, 882 were drilling for natural gas, 4 more than the previous week. The number drilling for oil increased by 13 to 926. It’s been several years since there were more rigs drilling for oil than for gas in the US. There were 10 rigs unclassified.
Horizontal drilling increased by 3 rigs to 1,023. Directional drilling gained 6 for a total of 219.
Among major producing states, Oklahoma’s rig count increased the most this week, up by 9 to 183 rotary rigs working. Pennsylvania added 5 rigs for a total of 109 making hole. Texas increased by 3 to 804. North Dakota, Wyoming, and West Virginia each added 1 rig for respective counts of 162, 42, and 15. Unchanged were Louisiana with 170 rigs, Colorado 72, California 41, Arkansas 34, and Alaska 5. New Mexico was down 1 rig with 72 drilling.
Canada’s rotary rig count fell by 10 with 133 still working, up from 108 active units at this time last year.
Rendering from Cedar LNG.
US Government Accountability Office.
