By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 29 -- There were 2,031 rotary rigs working in the US the week ended Aug. 29, up 33 from the previous week and the first time the count has topped 2,000 since Mar. 8, 1985, when 2,011 units were drilling, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
This week's count is the largest since Mar. 1, 1985, when there were 2,143 rotary rigs working. The latest count is up from 1,829 during the same period a year ago. Land operations accounted for the bulk of this week's count, up by 34 to 1,938 active units. Offshore drilling increased by 2 rigs to 65 in the Gulf of Mexico and 70 in US waters overall. That was offset by the decline of 3 rigs to 23 working inland waters.
Of the rigs now working, the number drilling for oil increased by 21 to 416 while those drilling for natural gas increased by 12 to 1,606. Nine rigs were unclassified. Directional drilling decreased by 1 rig to 388. Horizontal drilling increased by 23 to 626.
Among the major producing states, the Texas rig count jumped by 27 units to 958 rotary rigs drilling. New Mexico gained 14 to 97. Oklahoma increased by 3 to 215. Wyoming was up 2 to 76. Louisiana's rig count fell by 11 to 182. Colorado was down 1 to 116. Unchanged were North Dakota at 74 rigs; Arkansas, 59; California, 51; and Alaska, 9.
Canada's rig count was down by 21 to 436 rotary units this week, up from 305 in the same period a year ago.
