The US drilling rig count starts the month of April with a gain of 10 units to 1,003 during the week ended Apr. 6, data from Baker Hughes indicate. The report shows an overall increase of 164 units from year-ago levels.
Offshore units were unchanged at 12 units working in the Gulf of Mexico. A total of 987 rigs were drilling on land, up 10 units from last week (OGJ Online, Mar. 29, 2018). The number of rigs drilling in inland waters remained at 4 units.
Rigs targeting oil were up 1 unit to 808, up 136 from the 672 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-targeted rigs were unchanged at 194. This time a year ago, 165 units were drilling for gas.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Oklahoma saw the largest increase in rigs with 5 to reach 126. New Mexico added 3 units to end the week at 90. Texas and Kansas gained 2 rigs each, reaching respective counts of 498 and 2.
Four states gained 1 rig. These were North Dakota, 54; Ohio, 22; West Virginia, 17; and Utah, 8.
California and Arkansas remained unchanged from last week at 14 and 1, respectively.
Louisiana saw the largest decrease in rigs vs. last week, dropping 2 units to reach 56 rigs working. Four states dropped 1 unit, namely Pennsylvania, 41; Colorado, 30; Wyoming, 29; and Alaska, 8.
Canada lost 23 rigs to 111 rigs working from a week ago. There are 23 fewer rigs working than this week a year ago. Oil-directed rigs decreased 23 units this week to 48, while those targeting gas remained unchanged at 63.