By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 17 -- US drilling activity declined slightly this week, down by 8 units with 1,232 rotary rigs working in the US, Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday. That compares with 1,092 rigs drilling during the same period last year.
Land operations accounted for the drop in the rig survey that was made prior to Hurricane Ivan making landfall early Thursday in Alabama. US land drilling was down by 9 rigs with 1,121 working. On the other hand, offshore drilling was unchanged at 87 rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, but increased by 1 rig to 93 in US waters as a whole. Activity in inland waters was unchanged, with 18 rigs still working.
In Canada, the rig count dropped by 15 to 246 units working, down from 338 at this time a year ago.
