The US drilling rig count slipped by 5 units during the week ended Mar. 8 reaching a total 1,752 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. That compares with 1,973 rigs working in the comparable week last year.
Offshore drilling slid to 51 rigs, down 1 unit from a week ago. Inland water drilling was unchanged at 19 units. Land-based drilling lost 4 units to 1,682. Of the rigs drilling offshore, 49 were in the Gulf of Mexico, a decline of 1 unit from a week ago.
Rigs targeting natural gas decreased 13 units to 407. Oil-focused rigs jumped 8 to 1,341. Four rigs were unclassified, unchanged from a week ago.
Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 195, up 10 units from a week ago and 17 fewer than the comparable week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally fell 11 to 1,130. This compared with 1,164 rigs working in the comparable week a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas producing states, Oklahoma was down 7 units to 180. Texas, at 835, was off 6 units from a week ago. Pennsylvania and Arkansas, at 72 and 15, respectively, were down 2 rigs each. Ohio dropped 1 rig to 27. Wyoming and West Virginia were unchanged at respective counts of 45 and 22. North Dakota, at 176, and New Mexico, at 78, each gained 1 rig. Three states gained 2 units: Louisiana, 106; Colorado, 57; and Alaska, 10. California jumped 5 units to 39.
Canada’s rig count slumped this week, down 75 units to 580. This count includes 451 rigs drilling for oil and 129 units drilling for gas. The total was down 75 units from the comparable week last year.