The US rig count fell by 17 units during the week ended Aug. 17. The total number of rotary rigs in the US reached 1,914 this week, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 1,974 during the comparable week last year.
Land drilling operations were down 18 units from a week ago, reaching 1,843 units. There were 20 rigs drilling in inland waters, unchanged from last week.
Of the total, 51 rigs were drilling offshore, an increase of 1 unit from a week ago. Of these rigs, 48 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, unchanged from last week.
Of the recent week’s total, oil rigs were down by 7 units from the previous week, reaching 1,425. Gas rigs, meanwhile, retreated 11 units to 484. Five active rotaries were unclassified, an increase of 1 unit from last week.
Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 229, up 2 units from a week ago and 2 higher than the same week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally decreased by 8 units to 1,153 compared with 1,138 in the comparable week a year ago.
Among the major drilling states with declines this week were Texas, down 9 rigs to 902; North Dakota, down 6 to 186; Pennsylvania, down 4 to 68; and Louisiana, California, and Arkansas, down 1 each to respective counts of 121, 54, and 16. Unchanged from last week were: Oklahoma, 198; Ohio, 19; and Alaska, 5. West Virginia was up 1 rig to 28. Three states—New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming—were up 2 rigs each to 85, 63, and 51, respectively.
Canada’s rig count was 326, including 241 rigs drilling for oil and 85 units drilling for gas. The total was up 27 units from the previous week and down 160 units from last year’s comparable week.