The US drilling rig count dropped 2 units to reach 794 rigs working for the week ended Jan. 24. The count is down 256 units from the 1,059 rigs working this time a year ago, according to Baker Hughes data.
Three fewer rigs were drilling on land week-over-week, bringing that number to 772. One fewer rig was counted offshore, bringing to 21 the total number of units drilling. Inland waters were unchanged with one rig working for the week.
US oil-directed rigs increased by 3 from last week to 676 units working. The count is down 186 units from the 862 working this week a year ago. Gas-directed rigs fell by 5 units to 115, down 82 units from the 197 units drilling for gas a year ago.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, two states saw unit increases week over week. With a 4-rig increase, New Mexico’s rig count stood at 109. Ohio saw a single unit increase to reach 11 rigs working for the week.
The largest decrease in units for the week was in Texas where a 4-unit decrease left 397 rigs running. Wyoming dropped 2 units to end the week with 23 rigs running. West Virginia dropped a single unit to hit 15 for the week.
Nine states remained unchanged: Louisiana, 54; Oklahoma, 53; North Dakota, 52; Pennsylvania, 25; Colorado, 21; California, 14; Alaska, 10; Utah, 5; and Kansas, 0.
Canada’s rig count remained unchanged for the week. With 244 rigs running, the count is 12 more than the 232 units drilling this week a year ago.
The number of oil-directed rigs in Canada increased by 2 units, bringing the count to 154 rigs for the week. Two fewer gas-directed rigs were drilling, for a total of 90 units for the week.