By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Dec. 31 -- US drilling activity continued to decline the week ended Dec. 26, down 43 to 1,721 rotary rigs still working, compared with 1,782 during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.
The largest decline was in land operations, down 43 rigs to 1,645 working. Inland waters operations lost 1 unit with 8 still drilling. That was offset by a gain of 1 rig in offshore drilling to 64 active rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and 68 offshore overall.
Of the rigs still working, 1,347 were drilling for natural gas, 19 fewer than the previous week. There were 364 rigs drilling for oil, a loss of 23 units; 10 rigs were unclassified. Horizontal drilling declined by 23 to 587 rigs. Directional drilling was down 16 units to 325.
Among the major producing states, only New Mexico's rig count was higher this week than last, up 2 rigs to 65 still working.
Texas dropped the most rigs, down 23 with 801 still working. Oklahoma was down 6 rigs with 159 drilling. Colorado was down 3 to 98 rigs. Arkansas was down 2 rigs with 53 drilling. California and North Dakota were both down 1 rig, with respective rig counts of 37 and 80.
Canada's weekly rig count dipped by 90 to 279 still active, up from 260 in the same week last year.