By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 24 -- US drilling activity continued to increase with 1,882 rotary rigs working this week, 22 more than the previous week and up from 1,552 in a comparable period last year, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations had the biggest increase with 25 additional units for a total of 1,833 drilling. Offshore drilling decreased by 2 rigs to 33, all in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters activity was down by 1 rig to 16.
Of the US rigs working, 1,003 were drilling for oil, up 19 from the previous week. The number drilling for natural gas increased 3 to 873. There were 6 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling escalated by 20 units to 1,081. Directional drilling dropped 5 rigs to 236.
Among the major producing states, Oklahoma had the biggest increase in its rig count this week, up 11 units to 176 drilling. Texas climbed by 5 to 843. Pennsylvania and Colorado increased by 3 rigs each to 112 and 71, respectively. Wyoming and Alaska added 2 rigs each for respective counts of 48 and 8. California increased by 1 unit to 44 drilling. Unchanged were North Dakota with 163 working rigs, New Mexico 78, Arkansas 35, and West Virginia, 21. The number of rigs drilling in Louisiana fell by 6 to 168.
Canada’s rotary rig count dropped 27 units with 250 drilling, compared with 273 a year-ago.
Photo from Esso SAF.
Map from Petrobras.
