US drilling rig count down 1 unit 1,761

Jan. 11, 2013
The US drilling rig count fell by 1 unit during the week ended Jan. 11, with the total number of rotary rigs reaching 1,761, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 1,987 rigs working in the comparable week last year.

The US drilling rig count fell by 1 unit during the week ended Jan. 11, with the total number of rotary rigs reaching 1,761, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 1,987 rigs working in the comparable week last year.

Offshore drilling reached 53 rigs, up 2 from a week ago. Land-based drilling rigs were unchanged at 1,691. Rigs drilling in inland waters were down 3 units to 17. Of those rigs drilling offshore, 50 were in the Gulf of Mexico, a 2-rig gain from a week ago.

Rigs targeting natural gas fell 5 units to 434. Rigs drilling for oil gained 5 to 1,323. There were 4 rigs unclassified, 1 less than a week ago.

Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 182, up 12 rigs from a week ago and 31 fewer than the comparable week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally jumped 7 to 1,119. This compares with 1,161 rigs working in the comparable week a year ago.

Of the major oil and gas producing states, Pennsylvania was down 6 rigs to 67, Colorado fell 3 to 52, and Texas was down 2 units to 824. Three states were unchanged from a week ago: New Mexico, 81; Ohio, 30; and Arkansas, 15. Four states gained 1 rig each: North Dakota, 174; Wyoming, 49; California, 31; and West Virginia, 27. Alaska reached 11 rigs, up 2 from last week. Oklahoma gained 4 units to 185. Louisiana, at 107 this week, was up 5 rigs.

Canada’s rig count zoomed to 531, up 273 units from a week ago. This count includes 388 rigs drilling for oil and 143 units drilling for gas. The total was down 80 units from the comparable week last year.