The US drilling rig count dropped 9 rigs to 1,767 rotary rigs working during the week ended Sept. 6, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land-based drilling lost 9 units to 1,682 rigs working, while offshore drilling gained 1 unit to 65, of which 62 were in the Gulf of Mexico, 1 more than a week ago. Rigs drilling in inland waters fell by 1 unit from a week ago to 20.
Rigs drilling for oil lost 23 to 1,365 and gas-targeting rigs added 14 units to 394. Eight rigs were considered unclassified, unchanged from a week ago.
Horizontal drilling rigs decreased by 3 units to 1,075. Directional drilling rigs increased by 2 units to 250.
During the week ended Sept. 6, Canada’s rig count was down by 10 units to 389 from a week ago. Oil rigs accounted for the largest decline at 10 units, totaling 247, while gas-targeting rigs dropped by 1 unit to 142, 53 more than a year ago.
Major states, basins
Texas experienced the largest loss of the major oil and gas producing states, dropping 8 units to 838. California dropped 3 units to 35. New Mexico decreased by 2 units to 74. North Dakota and Louisiana each fell by 1 unit to 168 and 111, respectively. Unchanged from a week ago were Oklahoma at 170, Wyoming at 49, West Virginia at 36, Ohio at 34, Alaska at 14, and Arkansas at 13. Pennsylvania, Utah, and Kansas were up 1 unit each to respective counts of 51, 30, and 27. Colorado led all states this week with a 2-unit gain to 68.
Noteworthy changes this week in major US basins included a 9-rig decline in the Permian to 456 units working. Haynesville also dropped a rig to 43. The Barnett was up 3 units to 32 rigs working, and Marcellus and Ardmore Woodford were up 1 unit each to 86 and 14 rigs working, respectively.