US rig count gains 8 rigs to 2,021 working

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.
Oct. 28, 2011
2 min read

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.

About the Author

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.

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