US drilling increases by 5 rigs

US drilling activity increased this week with a net gain of 5 rotary rigs for a total of 1,757 working. That's up from 1,752 active rigs in the same period last year, said Baker Hughes Inc.

March 9, 2007

2 min read

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 9 -- US drilling activity increased this week with a net gain of 5 rotary rigs for a total of 1,757 working. That's up from 1,752 active rigs in the same period last year, said Baker Hughes Inc.

Land operations were up by 16 rigs with 1,643 drilling. This was partially offset by a decline of 5 rigs working offshore, down to 89 in US waters as a whole and 87 rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland waters drilling also decreased, by 6 rigs, to 25 at work.

Colorado had the biggest gain in its rig count among major producing states, up by 6 to 99 rotary rigs working. The next biggest gain was in Oklahoma, up by 5 to 187. Two other states reported smaller gains. Texas was up by 3 rigs to 813 occupied, and New Mexico was up by 2 to 77.

California was unchanged during the week with a rig count of 31. On the other hand, Louisiana dropped 11 rigs to 198 drilling. Wyoming and Alaska were down 1 each to 77 and 13, respectively.

Canada had 553 rotary rigs working this week, down 48 from the previous week, and down from 690 a year ago.