US drilling rig count up 12 to 569

The number of rigs drilling for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 12 the week ending Nov. 4 to 569.

A year ago, 771 rigs were active. Depressed energy prices have sharply curtailed oil and gas exploration.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said 450 rigs were targeting oil (up nine from the previous week) and 117 targeted natural gas (up three). Two were listed as miscellaneous.

Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained six rigs, Oklahoma was up three, Louisiana and North Dakota increased by two each and Colorado added one.

Alaska declined by one.

Arkansas, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, 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