The US rig count inched up by 1 unit during the week ended Aug. 10. The total number of rotary rigs in the US reached 1,931 this week, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 1,959 during the comparable week last year.
Land drilling operations were unchanged from a week ago, remaining at 1,861 units. There were 20 rigs drilling in inland waters, also unchanged from last week.
Of the total, 50 rigs were drilling offshore, an increase of 1 units from a week ago. Of these rigs, 48 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, 2 more than last week.
Of the recent week’s total, oil rigs were up by 3 units from the previous week, reaching 1,432. Gas rigs, meanwhile, retreated 3 units to 495. Four active rotaries were unclassified, an increase of 1 unit from last week.
Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 227, down 1 unit from a week ago and 13 fewer than the same week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally decreased by 6 units to 1,161 compared with 1,123 in the comparable week a year ago.
Among the major drilling states with increases this week were Louisiana, up 4 rigs to 122; North Dakota, up 3 to 192; Texas and West Virginia, up 2 to 911 and 27, respectively; and Ohio and Arkansas, up 1 to 19 and 17, respectively. California was unchanged from a week ago at 55 units. Down 1 rig each were Oklahoma, 198, and Alaska, 5. Colorado and Wyoming, at respective counts of 61 and 49, were down 2 rigs each. New Mexico, at 83, and Pennsylvania, at 72, were each down 3 units.
Canada’s rig count was 299, including 219 rigs drilling for oil and 80 units drilling for gas. The total was down 4 units from the previous week and down 165 units from last year’s comparable week.
