By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 22 -- US drilling activity remained essentially flat again this week, with a net loss of 1 rotary rig with 1,669 still working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
The previous week’s US rig count also was down by 1 unit, following an increase of 12 rigs working in the week ended Oct. 8. A year ago from the current week, there were 1,048 rotary rigs drilling in the US and its waters.
Land operations dipped by 3 rigs this week, with 1,630 units still working. However, that was partially offset by offshore drilling, up by 2 units to 23 working, all in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters activity was unchanged with 16 rigs still drilling.
Of the US rigs working this week, 965 were drilling for natural gas, 1 fewer than the previous week. The number of units drilling for oil was unchanged at 695. There were 9 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling fell by 19 to 907 rigs. Directional drilling increased by 17 to 223.
Texas recorded the biggest change this week among major producing states, down 4 rigs to 711 still drilling. Wyoming and Alaska each lost 2 rigs to respective counts of 43 and 3. Arkansas was down by 1 rig with 36 still working. North Dakota, Colorado, and New Mexico were unchanged at 138, 69, and 68, respectively. California’s weekly rig count was up by 1 to 35. Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia increased by 2 rigs each to respective counts of 148, 101, and 24. Louisiana gained 3 rigs for a total of 184.
Canada’s rig count dipped by 4 to 419 this week, compared with 244 working in the same time a year ago.
Rendering from Cedar LNG.
US Government Accountability Office.
