US rig count at highest level for 2006

July 21, 2006
US drilling activity increased to the highest level so far this year, up by 15 rotary rigs to 1,683 working the week ended July 21, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 21 -- US drilling activity increased to the highest level so far this year, up by 15 rotary rigs to 1,683 working the week ended July 21, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

That tops the previous 2006 high of 1,672 set 5 weeks ago and is up from the 1,410 rigs that were working during this period in 2005. It also is the highest US weekly rig count reported since Jan. 17, 1986, when 1,773 rotary rigs were working.

Land operations were responsible for this latest jump, up by 18 rigs to 1,571 units drilling this week. Activity in inland waters dropped by 2 rigs to 19 drilling. Offshore drilling was down by 1 rig to 90 working in the Gulf of Mexico and 93 in federal waters overall.

Texas had the biggest increase this week, up by 17 rigs to 765 making hole. New Mexico and California gained 2 each, to 93 and 32 respectively. Oklahoma's rig count increased by 1 to 189, and Alaska was unchanged with 8 rigs working. Colorado's rig count dropped by 4 to 89, and Wyoming was down 3 to 102. There were 188 rigs working in Louisiana, 1 less than the previous week.

Canada's rig count fell by 38 to 533 working this week, up from 521 a year ago.