US drilling rebounds, ends 3-week downturn

Oct. 11, 2008
US drilling activity increased by 11 units to 1,990 working this week, ending a 3-week decline and up from 1,767 rotary rigs drilling last year during the same period, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 11 -- US drilling activity increased by 11 units to 1,990 working this week, ending a 3-week decline and up from 1,767 rotary rigs drilling last year during the same period, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Offshore drilling had the biggest gain, up by 6 rigs to 75 in the Gulf of Mexico and 78 in federal waters as a whole. Inland waters activity increased by 3 rigs to 23. Land operations increased by 2 units to 1,889 rotary rigs.

Of the rigs now working, 429 are drilling for oil, 7 more than the previous week. There are 1,548 rotary rigs drilling for natural gas, an increase of 4, with 13 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling was down 8 rigs to 372, with horizontal drilling down 6 to 626.

Louisiana had the biggest increase among major oil producing states, up by 9 rotary rigs to 197. Oklahoma was up 6 to 205, while Texas gained 3 to 935. New Mexico and Wyoming were up by 1 rig each to 95 and 79, respectively. Rig counts were unchanged in Colorado, Arkansas, California, and Alaska at 106, 56, 45, and 9, respectively. North Dakota was down 1 rig to 74 still working.

Canada's rig count surged by 39 units to 470 drilling, up from 343 working a year ago.