US drilling rig count up another 6 units to 1,782

Aug. 2, 2013
The US drilling rig count increased another 6 units during the week ended Aug. 2 to reach a total of 1,782 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The US drilling rig count increased another 6 units during the week ended Aug. 2 to reach a total of 1,782 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Land-based drilling rose by 3 units this week to reach 1,699 rigs working. There were 58 rigs working offshore, unchanged from a week ago. Of these, 55 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, an increase of 1 unit. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters gained 3 units to 25.

Rigs drilling for oil lost 13 units to reach 1,388, while those drilling for gas gained 19 units to reach 388 rigs working. Compared with the same week last year, gas rigs were down 110 units. Six rigs were considered unclassified, unchanged from a week ago.

The number of rigs drilling horizontally increased by 6 units to 1,073, while the number of rigs drilling directionally fell by 10 units to 277.

Canada’s rig count increased by 12 units to 341 this week. This count includes 223 rigs drilling for oil (up by 5 units from a week ago) and 118 drilling for gas (up by 7 from a week ago).

Major states, basins

Of the major oil and gas producing states, West Virginia shot up 11 units to reach 38 rigs working this week. Louisiana and Alaska, up 5 units each, reached 108 and 12, respectively. Texas, at 851, was up 3 units. Ohio was up 1 to 35. California, 42, and Arkansas, 13, were unchanged this week. Three states lost 1 rig each: North Dakota, 170; Wyoming, 52; and Utah, 30. Three states lost 2 rigs each: Colorado, 68; Pennsylvania, 51; and Kansas, 23. New Mexico was off by 3 units to 76, and Oklahoma was down 8 to 168.

Notable changes this week in major US basins include a 9-rig gain in the Marcellus with a total of 87 rigs working this week. The Barnett gained 3 rigs to reach 33 units working. And the Eagle Ford, at 239, was up 2 units.