Baker Hughes: US rig count down 3 units to 244

The US drilling rig count dropped 3 units to reach 244 during the week ended Aug. 14, data from Baker Hughes indicate. The report shows an overall decrease of 691 units from year-ago levels.

Offshore units were up a single unit this week at 13 rigs. A total of 230 rigs were drilling on land, down 5 units from last week. Inland waters gained the only working rig this week.

Rigs targeting oil fell 4 units to 172 for the week, down 598 from the 770 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-targeted rigs were up a single unit to 70. This time last year, 165 units were drilling for gas.

With the only increase among the major oil and gas producing states, Louisiana gained 2 rigs this week to reach 31 rigs running.

Ten states remained unchanged week over week, namely Pennsylvania, 20; North Dakota, 11; Oklahoma, 11; Ohio, 6; Colorado, 5; West Virginia, 5; California, 4; Alaska, 3; Wyoming, 1; and Utah, 0.  

Texas dropped 4 units to 100 rigs running. New Mexico is down 1 unit to reach 45.

The rig count in Canada is up 7 units to 54. This time a year ago, 142 rigs were working. Oil-directed rigs were up 6 units this week to 19, while those targeting gas increased by a single unit to reach 35 for the week.