By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 1 -- US drilling activity rebound this week, putting back to work 9 of the 11 rotary rigs idled in the previous week with a total 1,659 units now working, up from 1,024 in the comparable week a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations had the biggest increase, up 5 rigs to 1,624 drilling. However, offshore drilling escalated by 4 rigs to 19 working this week, all in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters activity was unchanged with 16 rotary rigs making hole.
Of the US rigs working, 962 were drilling for natural gas, 5 fewer than the previous week. The number drilling for oil increased by 14 to 687. There were 10 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling was up by 4 units to 916. Directional drilling gained 7 to 220.
Pennsylvania registered the biggest increase among major producing states this week with a jump of 9 to 98 rotary rigs drilling. North Dakota increased by 3 to 135. New Mexico and Wyoming added 2 rigs each for respective counts of 70 and 45. California and Alaska rig counts increased by 1 each to 35 and 8, respectively. Texas and Oklahoma were unchanged at 718 and 132. West Virginia declined by 1 rig to 23. Louisiana and Arkansas were down 2 rigs each to 178 and 38, respectively. Colorado dropped 3 rigs with 66 still active.
Canada’s rotary rig count increased by 31 to 313 units drilling, up from 238 in the same period last year.