By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 21 -- US drilling activity was unchanged this week with 1,941 rotary rigs working, compared with 1,773 active rigs during the same period in 2007, said Baker Hughes Inc.
There were a few adjustments with land drilling up by 1 rig to 1,857 and inland water activity increasing by 1 rig to 22. That was offset, however, by the loss of 2 rigs in offshore drilling, down to 62 on federal maritime leases, including 59 in the Gulf of Mexico.
Among the rigs working this week, 1,511 were drilling for natural gas, up 13 from the previous week, while 419 were drilling for oil, down 10. There were 11 rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 12 rigs to 636; directional drilling decreased by 11 to 378.
Within the major producing states, Louisiana gained 14 rotary rigs to 192 drilling. That was offset by the loss in Texas of 14 rigs to 885 working. Wyoming gained 8 rigs to 82; Oklahoma increased by 1 to 190. North Dakota and Alaska were unchanged at 90 and 10, respectively. New Mexico dropped 6 rigs to 74. California was down 4 to 42. Arkansas was down 2 to 57 rigs; Colorado lost 1 to 123.
Canada's rig count declined by 18 to 400 rotary rigs working, up from 391 during the same period last year.
