US drilling activity on the rise

US drilling activity increased by 20 rotary rigs to 1,717 working this week, up from 1,460 in the same period a year ago, said officials at Baker Hughes Inc.

Dec. 1, 2006

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Dec. 1 -- US drilling activity increased by 20 rotary rigs to 1,717 working this week, up from 1,460 in the same period a year ago, said officials at Baker Hughes Inc.

The gain primarily was in land operations, up by 21 units to 1,608 drilling. Offshore drilling increased by 1 rig to 82 in the Gulf of Mexico and 86 in US waters as a whole. Those increases were partially offset by the loss of 2 rigs to 23 drilling inland waters.

Texas registered the biggest weekly increase among the major producing states, up by 4 rigs to 771 working. Oklahoma gained 2 units to 183. Alaska increased by 1 to 7. Colorado and California were unchanged at 87 and 36, respectively. New Mexico and Wyoming lost 4 rigs each, down to 97 and 90, respectively. Louisiana was down by 2 units to 193.

Canada's weekly rig count dropped 11 units to 442 working, down from 653 at that time last year.