By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 17 -- After falling the previous week, US drilling increased by 4 rotary rigs to 920 working this week, compared with 1,928 active units in the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.
Land operations were responsible for the increase, up by 6 rigs to 877 working. Offshore drilling declined by 2 rigs to 35 still active, all in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters activity was unchanged at 8 units.
Of the rigs still working, 244 were drilling for oil, an increase of 10 from the previous week. Units drilling for gas declined by 7 to 665. There were 11 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling increased by 11 rigs to 176. Horizontal drilling gained 9 to 399.
Texas led the increase among major producing states, up 6 rigs to 342 drilling. New Mexico had the only other gain, up 4 to 42. That was offset by Louisiana’s loss of 4 rotary rigs to 126 drilling. Colorado was down 3 to 42. Alaska dropped 2 with 3 still active. Wyoming declined by 1 to 29 working. Four states were unchanged: Oklahoma, with 82 rigs working; Arkansas, 45; North Dakota, 40; and California, 20.
In other states of interest, Pennsylvania increased by 3 rigs to 46; West Virginia gained 1 to 21; and Utah was unchanged at 16.
Canada’s rig count dropped by 26 to 152, down from 410 during the same period last year.