US drilling activity at 19-year high

June 24, 2005
US drilling activity continued to climb this week, reaching 1,370 rotary rigs working, up by 12 units. The count marks the highest weekly rig count since late February 1986 when 1,376 rigs were employed, said Baker Hughes Inc. That compares with 1,176 rigs working at this time a year ago.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 24 -- US drilling activity continued to climb this week, reaching 1,370 rotary rigs working, up by 12 units. The count marks the highest weekly rig count since late February 1986 when 1,376 rigs were employed, said Baker Hughes Inc. That compares with 1,176 rigs working at this time a year ago.

Land operations accounted for most of this week's gain, increasing by 10 rigs to 1,250 active units. Offshore drilling also increased, up by 2 rigs to 97 in US waters as a whole, including an increase of 1 to 94 in the Gulf of Mexico. Drilling in inland waters was unchanged with 23 rigs working.

Canada had 257 rotary rigs working this week, 35 more than the previous week but down from 334 a year ago.