US drilling rig count down 1 to 568

The number of rigs drilling for oil and natural gas in the U.S. decreased by one the week ending Nov. 11 to 568.

A year ago, 767 rigs were active. Depressed energy prices have sharply curtailed oil and gas exploration.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said 452 rigs were drilling for oil (up two from the previous week) and 115 for natural gas (down two). One was listed as miscellaneous (down one).

Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained six rigs and Ohio was up by one.

Alaska and North Dakota each declined by two. New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Utah each lost one.

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, West Virginia and Wyoming were unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May at 404.

- Associated Press