The US drilling rig count decreased 4 units during the week ended Aug. 9 to reach a total of 1,778 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land-based drilling dipped by 2 units this week to 1,697 rigs working. There were 57 rigs working offshore, down 1 unit from a week ago. Of these, 55 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, unchanged from a week ago. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters fell 1 unit to 24.
Rigs drilling for oil lost 3 units to reach 1,385, while those drilling for gas slipped 2 units to 388 rigs working. Compared with the same week last year, gas rigs were down 109 units, while those targeting oil were down 47. Seven rigs were considered unclassified, up 1 unit from a week ago.
The number of rigs drilling horizontally decreased by 8 units to 1,065, while the number of rigs drilling directionally fell by 11 units to 266.
Canada’s rig count increased by 17 units to 358 this week. This count includes 230 rigs drilling for oil, up 7 units from a week ago, and 128 drilling for gas, up 10 units from last week.
Major states, basins
Of the major oil and gas producing states, California dropped 4 units to 38 rigs working. Texas and New Mexico were each down 2 units to 849 and 74, respectively. Wyoming and Alaska, at 51 and 11, were each down 1 unit. Seven states were unchanged this week: Oklahoma, 168; Louisiana, 108; Pennsylvania, 51; West Virginia, 38; Ohio, 35; Utah, 30; and Arkansas, 13. Gaining 1 rig each were North Dakota, 171, and Kansas, 24. Colorado was up 3 units to 71.
Notable changes this week in major US basins included a 4-rig loss in Granite Wash with a total of 71 rigs working and a 3-rig fall in Eagle Ford, which reached 236 this week. The Permian gained 7 rigs to 470 units working. The Mississippian, at 74 rigs, was up 4.
