By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, June 22 -- US drilling again increased slightly this week, though North America's count overall fell, said industry officials Friday.
There were 1,277 rotary rigs drilling in the US and its waters, said Baker Hughes Inc., Houston. That's a net gain of 11 rigs over the previous week and an increase of 384 over a year ago.
In Canada, the rig count fell 15 to 305, which is still up 9 from a year ago, said Baker Hughes.
In the US, there were 1,095 rigs working on land, up 15 over last week and up 364 from a year ago. In inland waters, there were 23 rigs working, unchanged from last week and up 5 from a year ago.
Off the US, there were 159 rigs drilling, down 4 from last week but up 15 from a year ago, said Baker Hughes. Most of those rigs -- 154 -- were in the Gulf of Mexico.
In the US, 1,063 rotary rigs were drilling for gas, up 21 over last week and up 373 from a year ago. Rigs drilling for oil this week numbered 211, and rigs classified miscellaneous numbered 3.
In Texas, the count rose 20 to a total of 518, up 185 over last year.
California and New Mexico remained unchanged, at 42 and 77 respectively. Oklahoma and Wyoming both fell 4, leaving Oklahoma operating 155 rigs and Wyoming 59. In Alaska, there were 13 rigs working, down 1 from a week ago. Louisiana's count rose 1 rig to 226.
ODS-Petrodata Group, Houston, said utilization of mobile offshore rigs worldwide was 90% of the 651 rigs available, unchanged from last week.
ODS-Petrodata tallies the number of offshore rigs that are under contract each week, whether they are actively drilling or not. Baker Hughes counts only rigs that were actually drilling at any time during the week.
In the US Gulf of Mexico, 88.2% of the 212 rigs available were under contract, down slightly from last week's 88.7% of 213 rigs available.
All but 4 of the 102 rigs available in the Europe/Mediterranean Sea region were under contract, unchanged from last week, said ODS.
Of the 312 platform rigs marketed worldwide, 80% are under contract. In the Gulf of Mexico, 66.3% of the 80 available were under contract, and in the Europe/Mediterranean Sea area, 98% of the 101 available were under contract, said ODS.