US drilling rises for fourth week

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 22 -- US drilling activity climbed for the fourth consecutive week, up by 34 rotary rigs to 1,282 working, compared with 1,515 occupied rigs in the same period last year, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Land operations had the biggest increase, up 32 units with 1,226 rotary rigs drilling. Inland waters activity increased by 1 rig to 14. US offshore was up 1 unit to 41 in the Gulf of Mexico and a total 42 rigs in US waters.

Of the US rigs working, 833 were drilling for natural gas, an increase of 22 this week. The number of rigs drilling for oil increased by 12 to 437. There were 12 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 16 units to 627. Directional drilling gained 14 to 218.

Texas had the biggest increase among major producing states, up 15 rigs to 528 working. Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Colorado increased 4 rigs each to respective totals of 195, 105, and 46. Arkansas was up 3 to 39. Alaska gained 2 to 7. North Dakota, New Mexico, and Wyoming increased by 1 rig each to 72, 52, and 37, respectively. West Virginia was unchanged at 26. California was down 1 rig to 24 still drilling. Pennsylvania dropped 2 with 64 rotary rigs still making hole.

Canada’s rotary rig count increased by 29 to 495 units working this week, up from 426 a year ago.