North America rig count falls by 88

The number of rotary drilling rigs operating in Canada and the United States combined during the week ending April 1 stood at 1,559, down by 88 rigs compared to the previous week but up by 205 rigs vs. the same period last year, according to rig monitor Baker Hughes.

Canada’s rig count was down by 86 to 230 rigs from the prior week but was up by 36 rigs from the year-ago period.

The number of rigs operating in the United States during the recent week was down by two to 1,329 rigs vs. the previous week but was up by 169 rigs compared to the same period last year. Of the total number of rigs operating in the United States during the recent week, 1,157 rigs were drilling for natural gas and 171 for oil, while one was being used for miscellaneous purposes. Of the total, 820 were vertical wells, 345 directional wells, and 164 horizontal wells.

Among the leading U.S. producing states during the recent week, Texas lost five rigs for a total of 588 rigs, while Louisiana lost three rigs for a total of 182 rigs. New Mexico picked up two rigs for a total of 79 rigs, while Oklahoma picked up two rigs for a total of 155 rigs. Alaska’s rig count was up by one for a total of 11 rigs. And Wyoming gained one rig for a total of 78 rigs. Colorado’s rig count was unchanged with 72 rigs, as well as California’s with 25 rigs.

—Ray Tyson