By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 25 -- The US rotary rig count increased for the first time in 7 weeks, up 15 units from last week to 1,747 working this week, compared with 1,699 active rigs in the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.
Land operations had the biggest gain, up 16 rigs to 1,664. Inland water activity increased by 1 rotary rig to 26 drilling. Offshore drilling was down 2 to 57, including the loss of 1 to 56 in the Gulf of Mexico.
Oklahoma and Colorado tied for the biggest increases among the major producing states, up 8 rigs each to respective weekly counts of 195 and 102. New Mexico had 71 rigs working, 3 more than the previous week, and Louisiana was up 1 rig to 148.
Wyoming was unchanged, with 74 rotary rigs drilling. California lost 4 rigs to 37 still working. Texas was down 3 to 851. And Alaska lost 1 rig with 7 remaining.
Canada's weekly rig count increased by 22 to 582 but still was down from 664 in the same period last year.