Rotary rig count falls slightly in US, rises in Canada

Aug. 10, 2001
The weekly rotary rig count fell by 18 in the US and its waters, but rose 51 in Canada, said Baker Hughes Inc., Houston. This week there were 1,248 rotary rigs working in the US and its waters and 320 working in Canada. A year ago the numbers were 976 and 312 respectively.


By the OGJ Online Staff

HOUSTON, Aug. 10 -- The weekly rotary rig count fell by 18 in the US and its waters, but rose 51 in Canada, said Baker Hughes Inc., Houston.

This week there were 1,248 rotary rigs working in the US and its waters and 320 working in Canada. A year ago the numbers were 976 and 312 respectively.

Of the rigs working in the US and its waters this week, 222 were drilling for oil; 1,025 were drilling for gas; and 1 was unclassified. There were 1,078 rigs on land, 23 in inland waters, and 147 offshore.

New Mexico's count fell by 10 to 71, the biggest change this week. Texas lost 4 rigs for a total of 501; Oklahoma lost 3 for a total of 154; and Louisiana lost 2 for a total of 224. California gained 2 for a total of 44. Alaska and Wyoming remained the same at 13 and 62 respectively.

Mobile offshore rig utilization worldwide was unchanged since last week at 87.4% of the 653 available rigs under contract, said ODS-Petrodata Group, Houston.

In the US Gulf of Mexico, utilization remained steady at 79.6% of the 211 rigs in the fleet. In the Europe/Mediterranean Sea region, utilization was the same at 98.1% of the 103 rigs available.