North American drilling activity registered an increase for the week ended Sept. 16, with 763 rotary rigs working in the US and another 211 in Canada, Baker Hughes officials reported Friday.
The Baker Hughes Inc. rig count for the US is up 4 from the previous week and a 251 from a year ago. Canada's rig count increased by 6 this week and 57 over last year.
Texas led the US rebound with 364 rotary rigs working, 5 more than last week. Louisiana was up 1 to 65, the only other major oil and gas producing state to log an increase. New Mexico and North Dakota each dropped a rig to reach 108 and 38 rigs running, respectively.
Oil drove the US gain, with 599 rigs drilling for oil this week, 8 more than the previous week. Four fewer rigs were gas-directed this week, leaving 162 rigs working.
The US rig count averaged 764 during August, up 8 from an average 756 in July and up 263 from the 501 averaged in August 2021, Baker Hughes reported Sept. 2. The average Canadian rig count for August was 201, up 15 from an average 186 in July and up 45 from the average 156 from a year ago.
Baker Hughes also reported an average 860 rigs working outside the US and Canada during August, 27 more than in July and up 83 from the 777 average in August 2021,