US rig count climbs after 5-week slump

Oct. 12, 2007
After retreating for 5 consecutive weeks, the US finally registered a gain of 12 rotary rigs to 1,767 units working, up from 1,728 a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. said.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 12 -- After retreating for 5 consecutive weeks, the US finally registered a gain of 12 rotary rigs to 1,767 units working, up from 1,728 a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. said.

All of the increase was in land drilling, up by 17 rotary rigs to 1,695 drilling. Inland waters activity lost 3 rigs to 26, and US offshore drilling was down 2 units to 46 rigs in US waters total, including 45 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Louisiana was the only major producing state to report a decline in the number of rigs working this week, down 8 to 146. New Mexico was unchanged at 66. Texas' rig count increased by 4 to 847, and California gained 3 units to 41. Oklahoma, Colorado, and Wyoming each increased by 2 rigs to respective counts of 200, 111, and 70. Alaska increased by 1 rig to 5 drilling.

Canada's weekly rig count was up by 11 to 343, but still down sharply for a year ago when the count was 477.