By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 2 -- US drilling activity pushed past the 1,200 rig mark for the first time since early September 2001, with 1,201 rotary rigs working this week, up by 25 from the previous week and up from 1,077 during this same period in 2003, Baker Hughes Inc. executives said Friday.
As usual, most of the increase was in land activity, up by 22 rigs to 1,085 working this week. Offshore drilling also increased, up by 1 rig to 93 in the Gulf of Mexico, with a total increase of 3 to 98 in the US offshore as a whole. Drilling in US inland waters was unchanged with 18 rotary rigs still working this week.
Canada's rig count jumped again. It rose by 63 to 397 this week, compared with 375 during the same period a year ago.
