The rig count in Canada increased by 88 rigs, according to Baker Hughes data. The increase follows last week’s 39-unit gain (OGJ Online, Jan. 5, 2024).
A total of 213 rigs were running in Canada this week, down 14 from the 227 rigs running a year ago. A 75-unit increase in oil-directed rigs accounted for most of the rig count growth. While there were 133 rigs drilling for oil this week in Canada, the count is still down from the 141 rigs drilling for oil this time last year. Canada added 13 gas-directed rigs this week to land at 80 rigs running, 6 fewer than were drilling for gas this time last year.
In the US, 4 two fewer rigs were running for a total of 619. The count is down 156 from the 775 rigs running in the US this time last year.
US oil-directed rigs decreased by 2 units to 499, down 124 from this time in 2023. Gas-directed rigs fell by a single unit to 117. A year ago, 150 units were drilling for gas in the US.
The number of rigs drilling on land in the US was down 2 units from last week at 599. Horizontal rigs were down by 3 units to 561 while vertical rigs decreased by 1 to reach 10 for the week. Two additional rigs were drilling directionally, bringing the count to 48. One additional rig was unclassified for a total of 3.
North Dakota’s rig count increased by 2 to reach 33 rigs working this week. Ohio and California each gained a single rig to reach counts of 13 and 5, respectively.
Wyoming dropped 2 rigs to reach 10 units running this week. Four states were down a single unit, namely Oklahoma (43), Colorado (16), Utah (12), and West Virginia (8).
There were 18 rigs drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, unchanged from last week, as the overall US offshore count also held steady at 20. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters was unchanged at 0.