By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 23 -- US drilling slipped slightly from a 20-year high with 1,669 rotary rigs working this week, 3 less than the previous week but up from 1,370 during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.
The count was mixed, with land drilling increasing by 2 rigs to 1,555, offset by the loss of 2 rigs to 23 working inland waters. Offshore drilling in US waters declined by 3 rigs to 91, including the loss of 2 to 88 in the Gulf of Mexico.
Oklahoma and Wyoming registered the only gains among major producing states, both up by 3 rigs each to 183 and 107, respectively. Texas and Alaska were unchanged with 752 and 9 rigs drilling, respectively. New Mexico was down by 1 rig to 100 working; California was down 1 to 34. Louisiana's rig count dropped by 4 to 188. Colorado reported the biggest loss, down 8 to 84.
Canada's weekly rig count fell by 49 to 392 rigs working, up from 257 a year ago.
