The US drilling rig count remained unchanged at 1,776 rotary rigs working during the week ended Aug. 30, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land-based drilling lost 1 unit to 1,691 rigs working. There were 64 units working offshore, 2 more than a week ago. Of these, 61 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, up 2 from a week ago. Rigs drilling in inland waters fell 1 from a week ago to 21.
An increase of 6 units drilling for oil brought that total to 1,388 rigs working. Gas-targeting rigs fell 7 units to 380. During the same week last year, there were 1,419 oil rigs and 473 gas rigs. Eight rigs were considered unclassified, up 1 unit from a week ago.
Vertical drilling rigs increased by 5 units to 450, horizontal drilling rigs increased by 3 units to 1,078, and directional drilling rigs decreased by 8 units to 248.
During the week ended Aug. 30, Canada’s rig count was up 16 units to 399 from a week ago and 83 more than a year ago. The increase consisted of a 10-unit jump in oil rigs to 256 and a 6-unit jump in gas rigs to 143.
Major states, basins
Louisiana led all of the major oil and gas producing states with a 2-unit gain, bringing its total to 112; Oklahoma, California, Utah, and Alaska each added 1 unit to respective counts of 170, 38, 29, and 14 units. Five states were unchaged: North Dakota, 169; New Mexico, 76; West Virginia, 36; Ohio, 34; and Arkansas, 13. Colorado and Wyoming fell 1 unit each to 66 and 49, respectively. Texas, at 846, and Pennsylvania, at 50, experienced the steepest decline this week, both down 2 each.
Notable changes this week in major US basins included a 2-rig climb in Arkoma Woodford to 4 units working. The Marcellus, Granite Wash, and Cana Woodford each lost 2 rigs this week, falling to 85, 70, and 26, respectively. The Eagle Ford, meanwhile, saw a 3-rig decrease to 231 units working.