US rig count dips slightly

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 16 -- US drilling activity was little changed from a week ago, down just 1 unit with 1,040 rotary rigs working the week ended Oct. 16. This compares with 1,976 rigs drilling in the same period last year, said Baker Hughes Inc.

The loss was in land operations, down by 3 to 996 still active. Drilling in inland waters was up by 2 rigs to 11. Offshore drilling was unchanged with 33 rigs working in US waters, including 32 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Of the rigs still working, 309 were drilling for oil, 4 more than the previous week. There were 721 rotary rigs drilling for natural gas, 5 fewer than previous. There were 10 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling was down 3 units to 181. Horizontal drilling increased by 2 rigs to 465.

Among the major producing states, North Dakota’s weekly rig count increased by 5 to 53. New Mexico was up 3 to 48. Louisiana and Wyoming gained 1 each to respective counts of 160 and 40. California and Alaska were unchanged at 22 and 6, respectively. Arkansas lost 1 rig to 38. Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado dropped 3 rigs each, with respective totals of 394, 74, and 36.

In other states of interest, Pennsylvania increased by 1 rig to 57 drilling. Utah lost 2 to 15, and West Virginia was unchanged at 21.

The Canadian rig count increased by 11 to 250 rotary rigs working, down sharply from 437 a year ago.