By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 19 -- US drilling activity declined by 13 rotary rigs to 2,018 drilling this week, vs. 1,769 during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.
Despite Hurricane Ike that drove through the Gulf of Mexico and into the Houston area late last week and Hurricane Gustav that hit Terrebonne Parish, La., 2 weeks earlier, offshore drilling was unchanged this week with 74 rotary rigs working in US waters, including 70 in the gulf. Land operations absorbed most of the loss, down 12 rigs to 1,923 drilling. Inland water activity decreased by 1 rig to 21.
Of the rigs now working, 417 are drilling for oil, up by 4 from the previous week. Gas drilling declined by 17 rigs to 1,589. There were 12 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling increased by 6 rigs to 404. Horizontal drilling declined by 17 to 627.
Oklahoma registered the biggest decline among the major producing states, down 5 rigs to 211. Storm-ravaged Texas was down by 2 rigs to 947. North Dakota lost 1 to 73. Colorado, California, and Alaska were unchanged, with respective rig counts of 116, 47, and 11. Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico each gained a rig, for respective counts of 191, 59, and 91. The Wyoming rig count increased by 2 to 83.
Canada's weekly rig count slipped by 8 to 425, up from 359 a year ago.
