US rig count climbs above 1,000 again

US rig count climbs above 1,000 again


Sep 18, 2009
By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 18 -- For the second time in 23 weeks, US drilling activity increased to more than 1,000 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The US rig count increased 2 weeks ago by 10 to 1,009 units, dropped by the same amount last week, and has 1,010 rigs working this week, down sharply from the 2,018 that were drilling a year ago. The latest gain was primarily in land operations, up 11 rigs to 971 working. Inland water activity was up by 2 rigs to 7, but that gain was offset by the loss of 2 rigs in offshore drilling, down to 30 rigs still working in the Gulf of Mexico and a total of 32 in US coastal waters.

The number of rigs drilling for natural gas increased by 6 to 705 this week, while those drilling for oil were up 5 to 293. There were 12 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling increased by 11 rigs to 195. Horizontal drilling gained 2 to 432.

Texas netted the largest gain among major producing states, up by 9 to 382 rigs drilling. Louisiana’s rig count increased by 3 to 147. Colorado and Wyoming gained 2 rigs each for respective counts of 45 and 37. Alaska added 1 rig for a total of 8, and California was unchanged with 20 rigs working. Oklahoma dropped 5 rigs to 69 active. New Mexico had 46 rotary rigs working, 3 fewer than last week. North Dakota and Arkansas were down 1 rig each to 46 and 42, respectively.

In other states of interest, Pennsylvania and Utah gained 1 rig each to 55 and 16, respectively. West Virginia was unchanged at 20.

Canada’s rig count increased by 8 to 214 this week, compared with 425 rigs working in the same period last year.

This is an extract from the Oil & Gas Journal