US drilling rig count takes slight hit

Sept. 2, 2011
US oil and gas drilling rig activity fell slightly this week with the loss of 7 rigs, bringing the total working rigs to 1,968. This week’s count, however, is up by 315 rigs from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

US oil and gas drilling rig activity fell slightly this week with the loss of 7 rigs, bringing the total working rigs to 1,968. This week’s count, however, is up by 315 rigs from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Land rigs were down by 8 to 1,917 working. Offshore, the number of rigs was unchanged at 33 units. Inland waters activity gained 1 rig to 18.

Of the US rigs working, 1,064 were drilling for oil, down 5 compared with the previous week. Rigs drilling for natural gas declined by 3 rigs from the previous week to 895 for the week ended Sept. 2. There were 9 rotary rigs unclassified, up 1 unit from last week.

Directional drilling activity increased by 10 units to 238. Horizontal drilling lost 4 to 1,136 units.

Among the top producing US states, Louisiana had the biggest loss of rigs, down 6 units to 152 working. New Mexico had 86 rigs working, a decline of 2 units. Down 1 unit each were Colorado and California with respective counts of 75 and 48. Six states had unchanged rig counts: Oklahoma, 195; Pennsylvania, 113; Wyoming, 51; Arkansas, 32; West Virginia, 20; and Alaska, 7. North Dakota reached 180 rigs working, up 1; Texas gained 2 units to 898 making hole.

Canada’s count increased by 9 to 517 rotary rigs working, which is up 129 units from the 388 rigs working in the same period last year.