The US drilling rig count fell 5 units to 924 rigs working during the week ended Jan. 5, data from Baker Hughes indicate. This total is up 259 units from a year ago.
Offshore this week dropped 1 unit to 17 rigs working. In the Gulf of Mexico, 17 rigs were drilling, 1 fewer than a week ago. The 906 total rigs drilling on land and the 1 rig drilling in inland waters were down 3 units and 1 unit, respectively, from last week.
Rigs targeting oil fell 5 units to reach 742. A year ago this week, 529 rigs were drilling for oil. There were 182 units targeting gas this week, unchanged from last week. This time a year ago, 135 rigs were drilling for gas.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Louisiana, with 56 total units running, saw the largest drop in rigs, down 6 units from last week. Oklahoma was down 2 units to 118 rigs working, and North Dakota was down 1 unit to 45.
Eight states’ rig counts were unchanged this week, namely Pennsylvania, 36; Colorado, 34; Ohio, 27; California, 14; West Virginia, 13; Utah, 11; Alaska, 5; and Arkansas, 0.
Wyoming gained 2 units from last week to 26 rigs working. Texas and New Mexico each gained 1 unit to 454 units and 76 units, respectively.
Canada gained 38 units to 174 rigs from a week ago. There are 31 less rigs running than a year ago this week. Oil-directed rigs rose 36 units this week to 98, while those targeting gas increased 2 units to 76.