By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 4 -- Total US drilling activity was unchanged with 1,747 rotary rigs working this week, up from 1,625 a year ago.
There were minor adjustments in all three drilling categories, however. Land operations increased by 2 rotary rigs to 1,646 drilling. Offshore drilling increased by 1 rig to 73 in the Gulf of Mexico and 74 in US waters as a whole. Those gains were offset by the loss of 3 rigs to 27 active in inland waters.
Oklahoma registered the biggest gain in its weekly rig count among major producing states, up 9 to 186 working. Texas increased by 8 to 831. Alaska gained 1 to 7, while New Mexico and California were unchanged at 74 and 33, respectively.
Louisiana and Colorado were down by 2 rigs each to 181 and 107, respectively. Wyoming registered the largest loss, down 9 to 70.
The number of rotary rigs working in Alaska was down by 8 to 89, compared with 167 active a year ago.