The US drilling rig count gained 11 units to 947 rigs working during the week ended Jan. 26, data from Baker Hughes indicate. This total is up 228 units from a year ago.
Offshore units were down 2, with 17 working in the Gulf of Mexico. A total 929 rigs were drilling on land, up 13 units from last week. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters remained unchanged at 1 unit.
Rigs targeting oil jumped 12 units to 759 and were up from the 566 rigs drilling for oil a year ago this week. Gas-targeted rigs were down 1 unit to reach 188 units. This time a year ago, 145 were drilling for gas.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Texas saw the largest increase in rigs week over week with a 13-unit jump to reach 466 rigs working. West Virginia gained 4 units to reach 19, and New Mexico gained 3 units to reach 85 rigs working.
Oklahoma saw the largest drop in rigs week-over-week, dropping 4 rigs to 117. The rig count in Louisiana dropped 3 units to reach 59, and Ohio and Utah each dropped 1 rig to reach 22 and 10, respectively.
Six states remained unchanged, namely North Dakota, 44; Pennsylvania, 37; Colorado, 32; Wyoming, 29; California, 14; and Alaska, 5.
Canada gained 13 units to 338 rigs from a week ago. There are 7 less rigs working than this week a year ago. Oil-directed rigs rose 12 units this week to 220, while those targeting gas increased 1 unit to 118.
