The US drilling rig count fell 2 units during the week ended Oct. 12, with the total number of rotary rigs reaching 1,835, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 2,023 rigs working in the comparable week last year.
Land rigs were unchanged this week at 1,773. Rigs drilling in inland waters dropped 1 unit to 15 rigs. There were 47 rigs drilling offshore, 1 fewer than a week ago. Of these rigs, 42 were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, 2 fewer than last week.
Of the recent week’s total, rigs drilling for oil increased by 13 units to 1,411. Rigs targeting gas fell 15 units from last week to reach 422 rigs. Two active rotaries were unclassified, unchanged from a week ago.
Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 194, unchanged from a week ago and 56 fewer than the comparable week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally decreased by 20 units to 1,112 compared with 1,153 in the comparable week a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas producing states, Louisiana’s rig count fell by 4 units to 104. California was down 3 rigs to reach 35. Four states were down 1 rig each: North Dakota, 177; Colorado, 61; Wyoming, 49; and Arkansas, 15. Pennsylvania, at 66, and West Virginia, at 27, were both unchanged this week. Four states gained 1 rig: Oklahoma, 191; New Mexico, 87; Ohio, 23; and Alaska, 7. Texas gained 4 units to reach 872.
Canada’s rig count was 361, which includes 276 rigs drilling for oil and 83 units drilling for gas. The total was down 11 units from the previous week and down 151 units from last year’s comparable week.