North American rig count down 27

The North American rotary rig count fell for a second week in a row, dropping by 27 to 1,479 during the week ending Oct. 24, according to rig monitor Baker Hughes. The count declined by 21 rigs during the previous week.

Canada’s rig count in the recent week declined by two to 389 rigs, compared to 235 for the same weekly period last year.

The United States accounted for most of the loss in the recent week, falling by a net 25 to 1,090 rigs, but was still well ahead of 856 rigs working in the country a year earlier. The land rig count alone dropped by 25, while offshore Gulf of Mexico lost one rig. Inland waters of the gulf gained one rig.

Of all the rigs at work in the United States, 930 were drilling for natural gas and 158 for oil, while two were being used for miscellaneous purposes. Of the total, 744 were drilling vertical wells, 253 directional wells and 93 horizontal wells.

Among the leading producing state in the United States, Texas’ rig count took the single largest hit in the recent week, falling by 13 to 462 rigs. New Mexico was down six to 63 rigs. And Wyoming fell by two to 68 rigs. California increased by one rig to 26. Louisiana remained unchanged at 158 rigs, as well as Alaska at 10 rigs.