By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 1 -- US drilling activity continued its slow increase, up by 4 rotary rigs to 1,886 working this week, compared with 1,557 in the comparable week a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations were responsible for the increase, adding 4 rigs for a total 1,837 making hole. Inland waters activity was unchanged at 16 units, as was offshore drilling with 33 rigs working, all in the Gulf of Mexico.
Of the US rigs working, 1,006 were drilling for oil, 3 more than the previous week. The number drilling for natural gas increased by 1 to 874. There were 6 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling fell by 8 rigs to 1,073 units. Directional drilling gained 7 to 243.
Texas notched the biggest gain among the major producing states, up 10 rigs to 853 working. Pennsylvania increased by 4 units to 116. New Mexico, Wyoming, and California added 2 rigs each, for respective counts of 80, 50, and 46. Colorado, Arkansas, and West Virginia were down 1 rig each to 70, 34, and 20, respectively. Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Alaska dropped 3 rigs each to 173, 165, and 5, in that order. North Dakota’s rig count fell by 7 to 156.
Canada’s rotary rig count declined by 10 with 240 still drilling, compared with 323 units working in the same period last year.
File photo from PDVSA..
Photo from Odfjell Drilling.
