By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 17 -- US drilling activity increased slightly this week, up by 7 units to 1,661 rotary rigs working, compared with 1,010 during the comparable period in 2009, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations accounted for most of the growth, up 6 to 1,626 drilling. Inland waters activity increased by 1 to 14. Offshore drilling was unchanged with 21 rotary rigs still working, all in the Gulf of Mexico.
Among active US rigs, 982 were drilling for natural gas, 2 more than the previous week. The number drilling for oil increased by 7 to 670. There were 9 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 1 unit to 912. Directional drilling dropped 9 rigs with 222 units still active.
Texas had the biggest gain among major producing states, jumping by 18 to 730 rotary rigs working this week. North Dakota and Wyoming increased by 4 each to 133 and 45, respectively. New Mexico gained 1 to 70. Arkansas and West Virginia were unchanged at respective counts of 38 and 24. Pennsylvania and Colorado were down 1 rig each to 91 and 67 in that order. Louisiana declined by 2 to 184 rotary rigs still drilling. Alaska was down 3 units to 5, and California dropped 4 to 32. Oklahoma’s rotary rig count fell by 6 to 132.
Canada’s rotary rig count plunged by 50 to 333 units drilling this week, compared with 214 working a year ago at this time.