US drilling activity remained unchanged at 569 rotary rigs working the week ended Dec. 3, up from 323 units working in the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
A 2-rig increase for land operations to 554 rigs working offset a 2-rig decrease in offshore drilling rigs to 13, all in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters activity was unchanged with 2 rigs working.
Among the active rigs, 467 were drilling for oil, unchanged from last week. There were 102 drilling for gas, also unchanged from last week. Directional drilling decreased by 3 rigs to 31. Horizontal drilling was unchanged at 513.
New Mexico had the largest and only increase among the major producing states, up by 5 units to 88 drilling. Rig counts were unchanged in nine states, namely Oklahoma, 44; North Dakota, 27; Pennsylvania, 19; Wyoming, 15; Colorado, 12; West Virginia, 11; Ohio, 10; Utah, 9; and Alaska, 6.
Texas and Louisiana were down 2 rigs each to 271 and 47, respectively. California dropped 1 rig with 9 still working.
Canada’s weekly count was up 9 with 180 rotary rigs working, up from 102 in the same period last year.
