Baker Hughes: US drilling rig count inches up to 1,875

July 11, 2014
The US drilling rig count reflected another uneventful week, again edging up only 1 unit to reach 1,875 rigs working during the week ended July 11, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The US drilling rig count reflected another uneventful week, again edging up only 1 unit to reach 1,875 rigs working during the week ended July 11, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Meanwhile, the average US rig count for June, released earlier this week, totaled 1,861 units, 2 more than 1,859 in May and 100 more than 1,761 in June 2013.

The US onshore well count for the second quarter totaled 9,394 wells, up 428 compared with the first quarter. Compared with last year’s second quarter, the well count was up 383.

Offshore rigs gained 2 units to 56, which was halved by a 1-unit loss in land rigs to 1,801. Rigs drilling in inland waters were unchanged from a week ago at 18.

Oil rigs edged up a unit to 1,563 while gas rigs, at 311, and rigs considered unclassified, at 1, were unchanged.

Horizontal drilling rigs climbed 8 units to 1,276. Directional drilling rigs were unchanged at 222.

In Canada, a modest 6-unit increase masked a flurry of activity in its rig count. Gas rigs jumped 18 units to 137, overcoming a 12-unit loss in oil rigs to 178. Canada’s June rig count totaled 240 units, according to data from Baker Hughes, an increase of 78 from 162 in May and up 57 from 183 in June 2013.

Major states, basins

Excluding Oklahoma, the major oil- and gas-producing states saw light movement. Two-unit increases each left Texas with 898, Louisiana 107, Pennsylvania 56, Kansas 31, and Alaska 12. North Dakota, Wyoming, and Ohio each edged up a unit to 172, 52, and 42, respectively.

Unchanged from a week ago were New Mexico at 92, Colorado at 68, Utah at 27, and Arkansas at 11.

California and West Virginia each edged down 1 unit to 44 and 26, respectively. Oklahoma’s 11-unit loss to 198 trumped all other activity.

Texas was the site of several changes in the major US basins. The Eagle Ford tallied 5 units to 218, the Permian rose 3 units to 563, and the Barnett declined 2 units to 24. The Granite Wash also gained 5 units to reach 75.

Compared with the first quarter, the basin well count most notably increased in the Permian, up 265; Marcellus, up 78; and Granite Wash, up 31. The increase was slightly offset by well decreases predominately in the Barnett, down 57; and Cana Woodford, down 23.