US rig count rises 8 units

Oct. 23, 2009
US drilling activity increased by 8 units this week with 1,048 rotary rigs working the week ended Oct. 23.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 23
-- US drilling activity increased by 8 units this week with 1,048 rotary rigs working the week ended Oct. 23. This compares with 1,964 rigs drilling in the same period last year, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The gain was largely in land operations, which was up by 7 to 1,003 units still active. Drilling in inland waters was unchanged at 11 rigs. Offshore drilling was up 1 rig with 34 units working in US waters, including 33 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Of the rigs still working, 312 were drilling for oil, 3 more than the previous week. There were 725 rotary rigs drilling for natural gas, 4 more than previous. There were 11 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling was down 2 units to 179. Horizontal drilling increased by 7 rigs to 472.

Among the major producing states, Texas’ weekly rig count increased by 4 to 398. Louisiana was up 3 to 163. Wyoming gained 2 rigs to reach 42. California was up 1 unit to 23. Colorado and Arkansas were unchanged from last week at respective counts of 36 and 38. Alaska, New Mexico, and Oklahoma all lost 1 rig each with respective totals of 5, 47, and 73. North Dakota dropped 2 units to 51.

In other states of interest, Pennsylvania increased by 2 rigs to 59 drilling. Utah and West Virginia were both unchanged at respective counts of 15 and 21.

The Canadian rig count lost 6 to 244 rotary rigs working, down from 447 units a year ago.