US crude oil and natural gas drilling rig activity this week decreased by 10 units to reach a total of 2,016 rigs working. This week’s count is up by 331 units from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Rigs drilling on land this week totaled 1,960 units, taking a hit with 14 fewer rigs working. The total of offshore rigs was up 3 units to 37 working. Inland water rigs also inched up, climbing 1 unit to 19 rigs.
Of the US rigs working, 1,133 were drilling for oil, up 21 rigs compared with a week ago. Rigs drilling for natural gas for the week ended Nov. 11 lost 30 units, to 877 rigs.
There were 6 rotary rigs unclassified, down 1 unit from last week.
Directional drilling activity was down this week, off 12 units to 231 rigs working. Horizontal drilling was down 5 rigs to 1,152.
Among the top-producing US states, Louisiana, at 160 units, was up 6 rigs from a week ago. Oklahoma was up 1 unit to 196 working. Four states were unchanged from a week ago: New Mexico, 82; California, 46; Arkansas, 35; and West Virginia, 27. Colorado and Alaska lost 1 unit each to 79 and 8 units working, respectively. Texas, at 916, and Pennsylvania, at 109, were both off 3 rigs. North Dakota lost 4 rigs to 185 units, and Wyoming was down 6 to 52 rigs working.
Canada’s rig count gained 24 units to an even 500 rigs working, which was up 71 units from the same period last year.