US crude oil and natural gas drilling rig activity this week fell 10 units to reach a total of 2,013 rigs working. This week’s count is up, however, by 344 units from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Much of the loss was on land, with land-based rigs down 12 units to 1,959 drilling. The total of offshore rigs was up 1 unit to 36 working. Inland water rigs also gained 1 unit, to 18 units.
Of the US rigs working, 1,079 were drilling for oil, down 1 rig compared with a week ago. Rigs drilling for natural gas for the week ended Oct. 21 lost 9 units, to 927 rigs.
There were 7 rotary rigs unclassified, which was unchanged from last week.
Directional drilling activity lost 9 units to 241. Horizontal drilling lost as well, down 11 rigs to 1,142.
Among the top-producing US states, Colorado, at 80 units, was up 5 rigs from a week ago. Pennsylvania also gained, up 1 unit to 115. All unchanged from last week were: New Mexico, 83; California, 50; West Virginia, 27; and Alaska, 9. North Dakota, Wyoming, and Arkansas all were down 1 rig with respective counts of 189, 57, and 36. Texas was down 5 units to 910; Louisiana down 6 to 152; and Oklahoma down 7 to 190 this week.
Canada’s rig count lost 15 units to 497 rigs working, which was up 78 units from the same period last year.
