US rig count continues to edge upwards

Nov. 12, 2010
US drilling activity increased again this week for the third consecutive week, up by 2 rotary rigs to 1,685 working, vs. 1,101 rigs in the comparable week a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 12
-- US drilling activity increased again this week for the third consecutive week, up by 2 rotary rigs to 1,685 working, vs. 1,101 rigs in the comparable week a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Inland waters accounted for the increase, up 2 rigs to 20 drilling. Land drilling remained unchanged at 1,642 rigs. Offshore drilling, all in the Gulf of Mexico, also was unchanged at 23.

Of the US rigs working, 955 were drilling for natural gas, unchanged from the previous week. The number drilling for oil increased by 2 to 720. There were 10 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling decreased by 3 to 940 units. Directional drilling decreased by 9 to 209.

Among the 12 biggest producing states, Texas’ rig count registered the largest gain, an increase of 12 to 732 units drilling. Pennsylvania gained 3 for a total 102 rotary rigs at work. Alaska was up 1 to 8. There were two states with unchanged counts: Colorado, 67, and Wyoming, 20. Three states lost 1 rig: North Dakota, 137; California, 36; and Arkansas, 35. Oklahoma and New Mexico were down 2 rigs each to respective counts of 140 and 71 still drilling. Both Louisiana and West Virginia were off 4 units with 182 and 20 rigs drilling, respectively.

Canada’s rotary rig count added 12 to 429 units still drilling, compared with 263 units working in the same period last year.