By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 1 -- US drilling activity continued to fall, down by 10 to 945 rotary rigs working this week, compared with 1,839 rigs drilling in this same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.
Land operations accounted for all of this week's loss, down 10 to 889. Inland water drilling activity was unchanged with 5 rigs working. Offshore drilling increased by 1 rig to 50 in the Gulf of Mexico but balanced out to no change in US waters, where 51 rigs remained active.
Of the rigs working this week, those drilling for oil fell by 6 to 196. The number drilling for natural gas declined 1 to 741. There were 3 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling declined by 3 rigs to 169. Horizontal drilling was unchanged at 385.
Colorado led this week's rig loss among the top producing states, down 5 rigs to 45 drilling. Alaska lost 4 to 4. Texas was down 3 to 375 rigs still working. Oklahoma dropped 2 to 88. North Dakota was down 1 to 37. Wyoming was unchanged at 34. Louisiana and Arkansas gained 3 rigs each for respective counts of 135 and 48. New Mexico was up 4 to 34.
In other states of interest, Pennsylvania was down 3 to 27 rigs still working. Utah dropped 1 to 15. West Virginia increased by 1 to 22 active rigs.
Canada's weekly rig count increased by 2 to 67, compared with 95 rotary rigs working in this same period year.