US drilling rig count falls slightly to 2,000 | Oil & Gas Journal

US oil and gas drilling rig activity last week fell by 1 unit to reach a total of 2,000 rigs working. The rig count for the week ended Nov. 23 was up by 313 units from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The bulk of the decrease was in land operations with a decline of 4 rotary rigs to 1,941 drilling. Inland waters activity held steady for 2 weeks at 20 rigs working. Offshore drilling gained 3 units to 39 active.

Of the US rigs working, 1,130 were drilling for oil, up 5 rigs compared with a week ago. Rigs drilling for gas for the week ended Nov. 23 lost 6 units, to 865. There were 5 rotary rigs unclassified, unchanged from the previous week.

Directional drilling activity held unchanged at 213 rigs working. Horizontal drilling was up 8 rigs to 1,155.

Among the top producing US states, Texas was down 8 units to 906 rigs working. West Virginia, at 25, was down 2 units while Wyoming, Louisiana, and New Mexico were down 1 rig each at 52, 158, and 78, respectively.

Oklahoma was up 5 units to 197 rigs working while Pennsylvania and California each were up 4 rigs to 113 and 48, respectively. North Dakota gained 2 rigs to reach 187. Colorado reported a 1-rig gain to reach 81. Arkansas was unchanged from the previous week at 35 rigs working. Alaska also held steady at 6 rigs.

Canada’s rig count was down 3 units to 484 rigs working, which was up 69 units from the same period last year.

More in Drilling Operations

How to overcome casing flotation limitations to access the full wellbore

How to overcome casing flotation limitations to access the full wellbore

Running casing to depth in long lateral sections is challenging, often costing operators a significant portion of pay zone at the toe of the well. This article highlights a technology that helped one operator add $120,000 to its incremental gas recovery.

Beetaloo drilling approved by Northern Territory government

The environmental management plan for the Origin Energy Ltd.-Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. joint venture’s next well in a drilling program slated for the Beetaloo subbasin in the Northern Territory has been approved.

Saturn spuds first of five 3Q Viking wells

Saturn Oil & Gas Inc., Calgary, has spudded the first of five extended-reach horizontal wells planned this quarter in its light oil play targeting the Cretaceous Viking formation in west-central Saskatchewan.

Beach Energy plans record drilling in next 12 months

Beach Energy Ltd., Adelaide, plans to be involved in as many as 194 wells in its June 2019-June 2020 financial year (F20)—a record easily surpassing the 134 wells drilled in FY19.

Baker Hughes: US drilling rig count gains 1 to 935

The US drilling rig count gained a single unit to 935 rigs working during the week ended Aug. 16, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. The count is down 122 units year-over-year.

Production drilling begins in Dvalin field off Norway

Wintershall Dea GMBH started drilling four production wells in Dvalin natural gas field in the Norwegian Sea. The wells—each targeting a depth of 4,500 m—are being drilled using the Transocean Arctic harsh-environment semisubmersible drilling rig.

Baker Hughes: International rig count climbs 24 units in July

The international rig count for July reached 1,162, an increase of 24 units from June and up 165 units from July 2018, according to Baker Hughes. The international offshore rig count for July was 255, up 9 units from June and up 38 units from July 2018.

Baker Hughes: US rig count down 8 units to 934

The US drilling rig count fell 8 units, reaching 934 rigs working for the week ended Aug. 9, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is down 123 units from the 1,057 rigs working this time a year ago.

Pemex lets another jack up contract for offshore Mexico

Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has let an additional contract for a jack up rig to Borr Drilling Ltd., building on earlier contracts Borr calls “Cluster 2” for work offshore Mexico.

Baker Hughes: US rig count down 4 units to 942

The US drilling rig count fell 4 units, reaching 942 rigs working for the week ended Aug. 2, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is down 102 units from the 1,044 rigs working this time a year ago.

ConocoPhillips granted North Sea drilling permit

ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS has been granted a drilling permit by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate for well 25/7-7 in production license 782 S in the North Sea.

Baker Hughes: US drilling rig count down 8 units to 946

The US drilling rig count dropped 8 units to 946 rigs working during the week ended July 26, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. The count is down from the 1,048 units drilling this time last year.

US Gulf of Mexico drillship utlization

US Gulf of Mexico drillship fleet at 96% utilization

Drillship demand in the US Gulf of Mexico stood at 96% utilization as of mid-July compared with a 76% utilization for the same time a year ago, reports Westwood Global Energy Group.

Baker Hughes: US rig count falls 4 units to 954

The US drilling rig count fell 4 rigs to 954 units working for the week ended July 19, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is down 92 units from this time a year ago when the count stood at 1,046.