US drilling declines for third week

US drilling activity continued to slip for the third consecutive week with 1,728 rotary rigs working, 4 fewer than the previous week but up from 1,441 during the same period last year, said Baker Hughes Inc.

Sept. 8, 2006

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 8 -- US drilling activity continued to slip for the third consecutive week with 1,728 rotary rigs working, 4 fewer than the previous week but up from 1,441 during the same period last year, said Baker Hughes Inc.

Land drilling was down by 4 units with 1,611 rigs still drilling. Inland waters activity dropped 2 units to 22 working. That was offset by increased offshore drilling, up by 2 rigs to 95 active in US waters, including the gain of 1 to 91 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Oklahoma lost 6 rigs this week, down to 189. New Mexico dropped 3 rigs to 85. Wyoming and Alaska were down by 2 rigs each to 104 and 6, respectively. California decreased by 1 to 31 rigs. Texas and Colorado each increased by 1 rig to 790 and 93, respectively. Louisiana was up by 2 rigs to 203.

Canada's rig count declined by 14 to 491, down from 558 during the same time last year.