The US drilling rig count was up 4 units to 1,067 rigs working for the week ended Oct. 19, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is up 154 units from the 913 rigs working this time a year ago.
Land-based rigs rose 7 units to 1,044 for the week. Offshore units fell by 3 to 20 rigs working, while those drilling in inland waters remained unchanged at 3 rigs working.
Oil-directed rigs were up 4 units from last week to 873 units working, and up from the 736 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-directed rigs were up 1 unit to 194, and up from the 177 units drilling for gas a year ago. Unclassified rigs were down 1 unit, leaving no units working.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Texas saw the largest increase in rigs for the second week in a row with another 8-rig jump to 540.
California, with its 2-rig gain to 15 units working, was the only other state to see an increase for the week.
Eight states were unchanged this week: Louisiana, 64; North Dakota, 52; Colorado, 33; Wyoming, 30; Ohio, 17; West Virginia, 13; Utah, 6; and Kansas, 1.
Oklahoma and Pennsylvania each dropped a single rig to reach 141 and 44, respectively.
With a loss of 2 units each, New Mexico, at 100, and Alaska, at 3, saw the largest drop in rigs for the week.
Canada’s rig count fell by 4 for the week. With 191 rigs running, the count falls short of the 202 units drilling this week a year ago. Canada lost 4 oil-directed rigs to reach 123 units for the week. Its gas-directed rig count remained unchanged at 68.
