The US drilling rig count decreased by another 11 units during the week ended Dec. 28, with the total number of rotary rigs reaching 1,763, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 2,007 rigs working in the comparable week last year.
Land-based drilling rigs fell by 11 units to 1,692, while offshore rigs remained unchanged at 51 this week. Rigs drilling in inland waters also were unchanged at 20 units. Of those rigs drilling offshore, 48 were in the Gulf of Mexico, the same amount as a week ago.
Rigs targeting natural gas gained 2 units, reaching 431. Rigs drilling for oil fell by 13 units to 1,327. There were 5 rigs unclassified, unchanged from a week ago.
Rigs drilling directionally were reported at 175, down 7 rigs from a week ago and 40 fewer than the comparable week last year. The number of rigs drilling horizontally was up 6 units to 1,111. This compares with 1,167 in the comparable week a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas producing states, Texas was down 8 rigs to 822 units working. Louisiana and California, at respective counts of 103 and 30, were down 2 units each. Seven states were unchanged this week: Oklahoma, 183; North Dakota, 174; New Mexico, 81; Pennsylvania, 70; Colorado, 57; Wyoming, 49; and Arkansas, 15. Two states, West Virginia and Alaska, were up 1 rig each to 26 and 9, respectively. Ohio gained 2 rigs to 30 units working.
Canada’s rig count was 204, down 180 units from a week ago. This count includes 104 rigs drilling for oil and 100 units drilling for gas. The total was down 17 units from the comparable week last year.