The US drilling rig count gained 5 units during the week ended May 10 to a total of 1,769 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. That compared with 1,974 rigs working in the comparable week last year.
All of the gains were seen in land-based drilling activity, which increased 6 units from a week ago to 1,696 rigs working. The offshore count fell by 1 unit to reach 50, while inland water drilling remained unchanged at 23. Of the rigs drilling offshore, 47 were in the Gulf of Mexico, down 1 unit from a week ago.
Oil-targeted rigs climbed by 9 units to 1,412, while those drilling for gas decreased by 4 to 350. Seven rigs were considered unclassified, unchanged from a week ago.
Rigs drilling horizontally were reported at 1,099, up 7 units from a week ago, but 30 fewer than the comparable week last year. Rigs drilling directionally gained 1 unit to 198. This compared with 228 rigs working horizontally in the comparable week a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas producing states, Texas gained 7 units to reach 838. Oklahoma and North Dakota, at respective counts of 190 and 176, were up 2 rigs each. Five states were unchanged this week: Colorado, 63; California, 41; Ohio, 32; Arkansas, 15; and Alaska, 8. Four states were down 1 rig each: New Mexico, 77; Pennsylvania, 59; Wyoming, 40; and West Virginia, 23. Lousiana was down 2 rigs to 106 units working.
Canada’s rig count was off slightly this week, down 3 units to 118. This count includes 65 rigs drilling for oil (down 1 unit from a week ago) and 53 units drilling for gas (down 2 units from last week). The total was down from the 120 rigs working in the comparable week last year.