By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 1 -- US drilling activity climbed to a new 21-year high this week with 1,774 rotary rigs working, said Baker Hughes Inc.
That's 14 more units that were active last week, up from 1,657 during the same period a year ago, and has just topped the previous high of 1,773 rigs that were drilling during the week ended Jan. 17, 1986. The US rig count for the week ended Jan. 10, 1986, was 1,880.
Land operations accounted for the bulk of this week's gain, up by 14 rigs with 1,670 at work. Offshore operations increased by 1 rig to 81 in US waters, including 80 in the Gulf of Mexico. But that was offset by the loss of 1 rig to 23 in inland waters.
Among the major producing states, Texas gained 8 rigs to 835 drilling. Colorado was up 5 to 106, and Wyoming had 79 rigs working, a gain of 4 for that state. New Mexico's rig count increased by 3 to 83. Oklahoma and Alaska were unchanged with rig counts standing at 194 and 8, respectively. Louisiana and California lost 1 rig each, down to 175 and 31, respectively.
Canada's weekly rig count jumped by 22 to 136, but is still down from 293 a year ago.
