By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 24 -- US drilling activity increased again this week with the addition of 23 rotary rigs, bringing the total working units to 943, far below the 1,957 that were drilling in the same period in 2008, said Baker Hughes Inc.
As usual, the bulk of the change was among land rigs, up 22 units to 899 working. Offshore, the number of rigs increased by 2 to 37, including a 1-rig increase to 36 in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters activity declined by 1 to 7 units.
The number of rigs drilling for natural gas increased by 10 to 675. Those drilling for oil gained 13 to 257. There were 11 rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 9 rigs to 409. Directional drilling was up 7 to 183.
The biggest change among major producing states was in Louisiana, up by 11 rigs to 137 drilling. Alaska gained 4 to 7. Texas’ rig count increased by 3 to 345. Colorado, North Dakota, and Wyoming gained 2 rigs each for respective counts of 44, 42, and 31. New Mexico picked up another rig for a total of 43. Arkansas was unchanged with 45 units working. California’s rig count dropped by 1 to 19. Oklahoma was down 3 to 79.
In other states of interest, Utah was up by 1 rig to 17 working. Pennsylvania and West Virginia were unchanged at 46 and 21, respectively.
Canada’s count increased by 28 to 180 rotary rigs working. That’s down from 435 units a year ago.