Baker Hughes: US drilling rig count edges up

Aug. 26, 2011
US oil and gas drilling rig activity increased slightly this week with the addition of 1 rig, bringing the total working rigs to 1,975. This week’s count is up by 319 rigs from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

US oil and gas drilling rig activity increased slightly this week with the addition of 1 rig, bringing the total working rigs to 1,975. This week’s count is up by 319 rigs from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Land rigs were up by 4 to 1,925 working. Offshore, the number of rigs decreased by 1 to 33. Inland waters activity declined by 2 rigs to 17.

Of the US rigs working, 1,069 were drilling for oil, up 3 compared with the previous week. Rigs drilling for gas declined by 2 rigs from the previous week to 898 for the week ended Aug. 26. There were 8 rotary rigs unclassified for both weeks ended Aug. 26 and Aug. 19.

Directional drilling activity increased by 1 unit to 228 rotary rigs. Horizontal drilling increased by 2 to 1,140 units.

Among the top producing states, two states reported declines in their respective counts. Louisiana was down by 11 rigs from the previous week to 158. Oklahoma was down by 3 rigs to 195.

Texas, North Dakota, and New Mexico each gained 3 rigs for respective counts of 896, 179, and 88. Up 2 units were Pennsylvania, with 113, Colorado, 76, and Wyoming, 51.

Alaska reported a 1-rig increase to a total of 7 rigs. States reporting no change were California, 49, Arkansas, 32, and West Virginia, 20.

Canada’s count increased by 22 to 508 rotary rigs working, which is up 122 units from the 386 rigs working in the same period last year.