The US drilling rig count is up 3 units to 981 rigs working during the week ended Mar. 2, data from Baker Hughes indicate. This total is up 225 units from a year ago.
Offshore units were down 3 units from last week with 14 rigs working in the Gulf of Mexico. A total of 963 rigs were drilling on land, up 4 from last week. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters was up 2 units to 4.
Rigs targeting oil were up 1 unit to 800 and also up from the 609 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-targeted rigs were up 2 rigs to reach 181 units. This time a year ago, 146 units were drilling for gas.
Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Oklahoma saw the largest increase in rigs week over week with a 3-unit gain to reach 124 rigs working. Pennsylvania and Alaska both saw an increase of 2 units to reach 41 and 11 rigs running, respectively. Texas and New Mexico each gained 1 unit to reach 483 and 88, respectively.
Colorado was down 3 units, falling to 30 rigs running. North Dakota dropped 2 rigs to reach 47 units, and Louisiana was down 1 rig to 59 rigs running.
Six states remained unchanged, namely Wyoming, 31; Ohio, 22; West Virginia, 16; California, 14; Utah, 10; and Arkansas, 0.
Canada lost 4 rigs to 302 from a week ago. There are 33 fewer rigs working than this week a year ago. Oil-directed rigs increased 2 units this week to 211, while those targeting gas fell 6 units to 91.
