US drilling climbs by 19 rigs

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 6 -- US drilling activity continued to increase, with 19 additional rotary rigs for a total 1,605 working this week, up from 966 in the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Land operations led the count, of course, up 20 rigs to 1,576 drilling. Offshore drilling increased by 1 rig to 17 making hole, all in the Gulf of Mexico. However, inland waters activity dropped by 2 rigs to 17.

Of the US rigs working, 983 were drilling for natural gas, an increase of 11 from the previous week. The number drilling for oil was up by 8 to 611. There were 11 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 25 units to 878. Directional drilling added 1 rig for a total 221.

Texas had the biggest increase this week, a jump of 16 rotary rigs to 691 drilling. North Dakota was up 5 to 133. Oklahoma increased by 4 to 127. Colorado and Alaska each gained 1 rig for respective counts of 64 and 6. Wyoming and Arkansas were unchanged at 44 and 40, respectively. West Virginia’s rig count was down 1 to 24, while Pennsylvania dropped 2 to 86. New Mexico and California each lost 3 rigs to respective totals of 66 and 37. Louisiana’s rig count fell by 4 to 183.

Canada’s rotary rig count increased by 26 units to 389 drilling, compared with 195 working in the same period last year.