Baker Hughes’ overall US rig count increased this week by its largest margin in 2 months, driven by more oil-directed drilling and activity in Utah and the Gulf of Mexico.
The tally of active rigs gained 5 units during the week ended Sept. 29 to 940, down 18 units since a peak of the drilling rebound on July 28. The count had fallen in 6 of the previous 8 weeks (OGJ Online, Sept. 29, 2017).
Oil-directed rigs jumped 6 units to 750, down 18 since their recent high on Aug. 11. Gas-directed rigs edged down 1 unit to 189. One rig considered unclassified remains operating.
Three rigs started work onshore, where those drilling horizontally gained 4 units to 794, down 16 since July 28. Rigs drilling directionally rose 5 units to 82, while rigs drilling vertically dropped 4 units to 64.
Three rigs began drilling off Louisiana, bringing the overall US offshore tally to 22. Just 2 rigs are drilling in inland waters after 1 unit went offline this week.
Utah’s rig count spiked 4 units this week to 12, leading the major oil- and gas-producing states in increases. Reflecting the movement offshore and in inland waters, Louisiana rose 2 units to 67. New Mexico and North Dakota—and its Williston—each edged up a unit to 69 and 50, respectively.
Texas, Oklahoma take losses
Texas dropped 2 units to 451, down 15 units since Aug. 4. Edging down a unit to 385, the Permian posted a rare decline this week after jumping 6 units last week to its highest point since Feb. 6, 2015. Activity there remains elevated as firms continue to bet on the region despite still-volatile oil prices.
Major Permian operator ExxonMobil Corp., which early this year acquired 250,000 acres in the Delaware basin, said this week that it has added 22,000 acres in the Delaware and Midland basins since May through a series of acquisitions and acreage trades.
ExxonMobil currently is operating 19 rigs in the Permian. In the Midland basin, where the firm has added 200 wells since mid-2014, ExxonMobil has 14 rigs drilling horizontally. The firm also has 4 rigs drilling horizontally in the New Mexico Delaware basin, where it recently drilled its first 12,500-ft horizontal lateral.
Oklahoma declined 3 units this week to 124, down 12 from its recent high on July 7. The Cana Woodford dropped 1 unit to 62, down 7 from Aug. 25.
The Haynesville, DJ-Niobrara, and Granite Wash also each decreased a unit to respective totals of 44, 25, and 13.
Canada’s rig count, meanwhile, fell 7 units to 213, still up 33 units since May 12. Oil-directed rigs declined 9 units to 113, while gas-directed rigs gained 1 units to 100.
Contact Matt Zborowski at [email protected].