US drilling continues to climb

Aug. 14, 2009
US drilling activity increased for the fifth consecutive week, inching up by 2 rotary rigs to 968 working, compared with 1,990 during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 14
-- US drilling activity increased for the fifth consecutive week, inching up by 2 rotary rigs to 968 working, compared with 1,990 during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.

Land operations increased by 1 rig to 929 drilling. Inland water activity was unchanged at 8 rigs. Offshore drilling increased by 1 rig to 30 in the Gulf of Mexico and a total of 31 off the US.

There were 688 rotary rigs drilling for natural gas this week, 7 more than the previous week. Oil drilling decreased by 5 rigs to 272 active. There were 8 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling increased by 2 to 174 units. Horizontal drilling dipped by 1 to 421.

Texas registered the largest loss among major oil-producing states, down 6 to 355 rotary rigs working. Oklahoma’s rig count declined by 3 to 76. Colorado lost 1 rig to 44. Arkansas, New Mexico, and California were unchanged with respective counts of 45, 42, and 20. Louisiana, Wyoming, and Alaska gained 1 rig each to 136, 35, and 9, respectively. North Dakota increased by 4 rigs to 44 working.

Among other states of interest, Utah was up by 2 rigs to 17 active. Pennsylvania and West Virginia increased by 1 rig each to 50 and 21, respectively.

Canada’s weekly rig count fell by 25 to 170 active units, compared with 426 rotary rigs working in the same week last year.