Baker Hughes: Canada sees dramatic 43-rig drop week over week

Dec. 21, 2018
Canada’s dramatic 43-rig drop for the week ended Dec. 21 is the latest in a downward trend for the country. 

Canada’s dramatic 43-rig drop for the week ended Dec. 21 is the latest in a downward trend for the country. With 131 rigs running, the count is below the 210 units drilling this week a year ago, according to Baker Hughes data. The number of oil-directed rigs in Canada fell by 37, bringing the count to 58 rigs for the week. Gas-directed rigs were down 6 to 73 units. The rig count in Canada hasn’t increased since it was up 7 units for the week ended Nov. 23.

In the US, 1,080 rigs were working for the week, up 9 from a week ago. The count is up 149 units from the 931 rigs working this time a year ago.

Eight more units were drilling on land vs. last week, bringing the total to 1053 rigs working. Offshore units hit 24 for the week, up a single rig from last week’s count. Inland waters remained unchanged at 3 rigs working for the week.

US oil-directed rigs increased by 10 units from last week to 883, surpassing the 747 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-directed rigs dropped a single unit to 197, but remainined up from the 184 units drilling for gas a year ago.

Among the major oil and gas-producing states, North Dakota saw the largest gain with an additional 3 units drilling for the week to reach 53. Louisiana added 2 units to reach 66. Four states saw a single-unit gain: Oklahoma, 141; New Mexico, 106; Pennsylvania, 41; and Colorado, 34.

Five states were unchanged this week: Wyoming, 35; California, 15; West Virginia, 12; Utah, 6; and Kansas, 2.

Three states dropped 1 rig each: Texas. 531; Ohio, 14; and Alaska, 5.