Rig count up by 9, despite a loss of 18 rigs in Canada

Ray Tyson

Petroleum News Houston correspondent

The total number of rotary drilling rigs operating in North America, compared to the previous week, increased by a net nine rigs to 1,329 for the week ending May 14, according to rig monitor Baker Hughes. The rig count also was up by 190 vs. the same period last year.

However, the rig count in Canada alone fell by 18 to 167 during the recent week compared to the prior week, but was still up by 68 compared to the year-ago period.

The United States helped offset the drop in the Canadian rig count, increasing by a net nine to 1,162 rigs from the previous week and increasing by a net 122 rigs vs. the same weekly period last year. Land rigs alone increased by 11 to 1,043 compared to the prior week, while the offshore rig count slipped by three to 95. The number of inland water rigs increased by one to 24.

Of the total number of drilling rigs operating in the United States, 1,004 were drilling for natural gas and 157 for oil in the recent week, while one rig was being used for miscellaneous purposes. Of the total, 765 rigs were drilling vertical wells, 282 directional wells and 115 horizontal wells.

Among the leading producing states in the United States, Wyoming’s rig count rose by seven to 67 during the recent week, according to Baker Hughes. Texas gained two rigs for a total of 503 rigs. Louisiana’s rig count was down by three to 165 rigs, while Oklahoma’s slipped by one to 157 rigs. New Mexico’s rig count was unchanged at 64, as well as California at 26 and Alaska at seven.