The US drilling rig count fell another 11 units during the week ended Oct. 5, with the total number of rotary rigs in the US reaching 1,837, as reported by Baker Hughes Inc. This compares with 2,012 rigs working in the comparable week last year.
Land rigs fell 8 units to 1,773. Rigs drilling in inland waters dropped 1 unit to 16 rigs. There were 48 rigs drilling offshore, 2 fewer than a week ago. Of these rigs, 44 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, 4 fewer than last week.
Of the recent week’s total, rigs drilling for oil fell to 1,398, an decrease of 12 units. Rigs targeting gas gained 2 units from last week to reach 437 rigs. Two active rotaries were unclassified, down 1 rig from a week ago.
Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 194, up 2 units from a week ago and 52 fewer than the comparable week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally decreased by 10 units to 1,132 compared with 1,148 in the comparable week a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas producing states, Texas’ rig count fell by 10 units to 868. North Dakota, at 178, and Louisiana, at 108, decreased 3 rigs each this week. Oklahoma and Alaska, at respective counts of 190 and 6, were down 1 rig each. Five states were unchanged this week: New Mexico, 86; Colorado, 62; Wyoming, 50; West Virginia, 27; and Arkansas, 16. California, up 2 rigs from a week ago, reached 38. Pennsylvania and Ohio each climbed 3 units to 66 and 22, respectively.
Canada’s rig count was 372, which includes 275 rigs drilling for oil and 95 units drilling for gas. The total was up 13 units from the previous week but down 150 units from last year’s comparable week.
