By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 30 -- US drilling activity inched up by just 1 rotary rig to 1,483 working this week, compared with 945 in the comparable week a year ago, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.
Land operations increased by 2 rigs to 1,417 drilling. Inland waters activity was unchanged at 14 active rigs. Offshore drilling was down by 1 rig to 51 in the Gulf of Mexico and a total 52 units in US waters.
Of the US rigs working, 958 were drilling for natural gas, 2 more than the previous week. The number drilling for oil was down 1 to 513. There were 12 rotary rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling increased by 12 rigs to 765. Directional drilling declined by 3 units to 229.
Texas registered the biggest change in its rig count among major producing states, dropping 14 units to 627 still working. Arkansas lost 2 rigs to 42. Colorado was down 1 to 50. Wyoming, California, West Virginia, and Alaska were unchanged with respective counts of 35, 31, 22, and 9. Pennsylvania’s count increased by 1 to 79. Oklahoma and North Dakota were up 2 rigs each to 122 and 99 respectively. New Mexico added 6 rigs for a total 56 drilling. Louisiana’s rig count jumped by 8 to 214 active units.
Canada’s count dipped by 2 to 108 rigs drilling, compared with 67 in the same period last year.
