US drilling rig count continues upward climb
US crude oil and natural gas drilling rig activity this week climbed another 6 units, reaching a total of 1,991 rigs working. This week’s count is up by 341 units from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Most of the gain was seen in land rigs, which was up 5 rigs to 1,939 working. The total of offshore rigs was up 1 unit to 33 working. Inland water rigs, meanwhile, remained unchanged at 19.
Of the US rigs working, 1,071 were drilling for oil, up 9 rigs compared with last week. Rigs drilling for natural gas for the week ended Sept. 23 remained unchanged at 912 working.
There were 8 rotary rigs unclassified, which was down 3 rigs from last week.
Directional drilling activity increased by 1 unit to 242. Horizontal drilling gained 3 rigs to 1,140 units.
Among the top-producing US states, Texas again had the largest rig count increase, up 8 units to 903 working. North Dakota reached 190 rigs working, up 6. Colorado gained 2 rigs to reach 77. Wyoming, meanwhile, reached 52 rigs working, an increase of 1 unit. California, Arkansas, and West Virginia were unchanged from the previous week, reaching 53, 33, and 25, respectively. Losing 1 rig each were Oklahoma, with 198; New Mexico, 83; and Alaska, 7. Louisiana and Pennsylvania each lost 4 rigs, with respective counts of 152 and 109.
Canada’s count gained 3 units to 505 rigs working, which was up 223 units from the same period last year.
Steven Poruban | Managing Editor-News
Steven Poruban was hired as staff writer for Oil & Gas Journal in October 1998. Two years later, he was promoted to senior staff writer. In October 2004, he was then promoted to senior editor. He now serves as managing editor-news.
Before working for OGJ, Steven was a reporter for Gas Daily and editor of Gas Transportation Report. He attended Boston University then transferred to and graduated from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., with a BA in English in 1993.
