U.S. picks up 32 drilling rigs

The number of rotary drilling rigs operating in the United States and Canada combined during the week ending Feb. 11 increased by 45 rigs to 1,869 compared to the previous week and was up by 172 rigs vs. the same period last year, according to rig monitor Baker Hughes.

The Canadian rig count during the recent week increased by 13 to 589 compared to the prior week and was up by three from the year-ago period.

The number of rigs operating in the United States during the recent week stood at 1,280, up by 32 rigs from the previous week and up by 169 from the same 2004 period. Compared only to the previous week only, land rigs increased by 23 to 1,150, offshore rigs increased by seven to 105 and inland water rigs increased by two to 25. Of the total number of rigs operating in the United States during the recent week, 1,086 were drilling for natural gas and 193 for oil, while one was being used for miscellaneous purposes. Of the total, 796 were vertical wells, 339 directional wells and 145 horizontal wells.

Among the leading U.S. production states, Texas accounted for most of the gain in the overall rig count during the recent week, increasing by 13 to 557 rigs, while Louisiana picked up 11 rigs for a total of 177 rigs. California gained six rigs for a total of 30 rigs. Oklahoma picked up five rigs for a total 158 rigs. Colorado’s rig count increased by one to 69, Wyoming lost three rigs for a total of 66, while New Mexico lost one rig for a total of 71. Alaska was unchanged with nine rigs.