US crude oil and natural gas drilling rig activity this week gained 8 units to reach a total of 2,021 rigs working. This week’s count is up by 349 units from the comparable period a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
All of the gains were on land, with land-based rigs up 9 units to 1,968 drilling. The total of offshore rigs was down 1 unit to 35 working. Inland water rigs remained unchanged this week at 18 units.
Of the US rigs working, 1,078 were drilling for oil, down 1 rig compared with a week ago. Rigs drilling for natural gas for the week ended Oct. 28 gained 7 units, to 934 rigs.
There were 9 rotary rigs unclassified, up 2 units from last week.
Directional drilling activity gained 2 units to 243. Horizontal drilling was up as well, 13 more rigs to 1,155.
Among the top-producing US states, Texas, at 917 units, was up 7 rigs from a week ago. Oklahoma was up 3 units to 193 working. Pennsylvania and Arkansas were up 1 rig each, with respective counts of 116 and 37. Unchanged from a week ago were: North Dakota, 189; New Mexico, 83; California, 50; and West Virginia, 27. Down 1 rig each were Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska with counts of 79, 56, and 8, respectively. Louisiana lost 2 rigs to 150 working.
Canada’s rig count gained 2 units to 499 rigs working, which was up 66 units from the same period last year.