US crude oil and natural gas drilling rig activity this week jumped 22 units to reach a total of 2,012, the first time the count was above 2,000 since the week ended Sept. 19, 2008, when the count was 2,018. This week’s count is up by 341 units from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Much of this gain was in land rigs, which shot up 17 rigs to 1,961 units working. The total of offshore rigs was up 3 units to 34 working. Inland water rigs also gained, up 2 units to 17.
Of the US rigs working, 1,070 were drilling for oil, up 10 rigs compared with last week. Rigs drilling for natural gas for the week ended Oct. 7 gained 12 units, reaching 935 rigs working.
There were 7 rotary rigs unclassified, which was unchanged from last week.
Directional drilling activity gained 8 units to 246. Horizontal drilling gained as well, up 13 rigs to 1,148.
Among the top-producing US states, Texas was up 8 units to 912 rigs drilling. Oklahoma reached 202, up 6 units; Louisiana gained 4 rigs to 152. Each gaining 2 rigs were Wyoming, 57; Arkansas, 36; and Alaska, 8. Up 1 unit each were North Dakota, 192; Pennsylvania, 110; and West Virginia, 28. New Mexico lost 1 rig to reach 80 and Colorado, at 77, was down 2 rigs. California had 49 rigs working, down 3 units from a week ago.
Canada’s count gained 12 units to 522 rigs working, which was up 119 units from the same period last year.