US drilling rig count slides 30 units to 1,864

Sept. 7, 2012
The US rig count slid by 30 units during the week ended Sept. 7, with the total number of rotary rigs in the US reaching 1,864 this week, as reported by Baker Hughes Inc. This compares with 1,958 rigs working in the comparable week last year.

The US rig count slid by 30 units during the week ended Sept. 7, with the total number of rotary rigs in the US reaching 1,864 this week, as reported by Baker Hughes Inc. This compares with 1,958 rigs working in the comparable week last year.

Land drilling suffered all of this loss, with operations down 31 units from a week ago, reaching 1,794 rigs. There were 19 rigs drilling in inland waters, up 1 unit from last week.

Of the total, 51 rigs were drilling offshore, unchanged from a week ago. Of these rigs, 50 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, up 1 rig from last week.

Of the recent week’s total, oil rigs were down by 10 units from the previous week, reaching 1,409. Gas rigs decreased as well, down 21 units to 452 rigs working. Three active rotaries were unclassified, an increase of 1 unit from a week ago.

Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 214, down 5 units from a week ago and 21 fewer than the same week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally decreased by 14 units to 1,135 compared with 1,134 in the comparable week a year ago.

Texas felt the heaviest losses, down 20 rigs to reach 869 this week. Four states declined by 2 rigs each: Oklahoma, 199; North Dakota, 184; Pennsylvania, 62; and Colorado, 59. Down 1 rig were Louisiana, 120; West Virginia, 27; and Alaska, 6. Three states were unchanged from a week ago: Wyoming, 52; California, 46; and Ohio, 18. Arkansas was up 1 rig to 17; New Mexico saw a gain of 2 rigs to reach 90 units working.

Canada’s rig count was 345, including 256 rigs drilling for oil and 89 units drilling for gas. The total was up 29 units from the previous week but down 170 units from last year’s comparable week.

Contact Steven Poruban at [email protected].