The US drilling rig count is down 11 units to 1,027 rigs working for the week ended Mar. 8, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is up 43 units from the 984 rigs working this time a year ago.
With an 11-unit loss week-over-week, 1,004 rigs are drilling on land. The number of rigs drilling offshore remained unchanged at 22 units as did those drilling in inland waters where a single unit was drilling for the week.
US oil-directed rigs fell by 9 from last week to 834 units working yet up 38 units from the 796 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-directed rigs are down 2 units at 193 yet up 5 from the 188 units drilling for gas a year ago.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, three saw a week-over-week increase. Pennsylvania, at 47 units working, was up 3 rigs for the week. Oklahoma and Louisiana each gained a single unit to reach 116 and 66, respectively.
Five states remained unchanged this week, namely Wyoming, 36; Colorado, 34, West Virginia, 19; California, 15; and Utah, 8.
Ohio dropped the most rigs for the week. Down 5 units, 13 rigs were drilling for the week ended Mar. 8. Alaska saw a 4-rig drop, running 7 rigs for the week. Down 3 units is North Dakota with 53 rigs running, while New Mexico dropped 2 units to reach 105 for the week. The rig count in Texas fell by a single unit to reach 502.
Canada’s rig count is down 22 units for the week. At 189 rigs, the count is 84 fewer than the 273 units drilling this week a year ago. All 22 of the dropped rigs are oil-directed, bringing the count to 118 for the week. Gas-directed rigs in Canada remained unchanged at 71.
