Fifteen rigs active in Alaska

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Baker Hughes reported March 28 that the U.S. rig count was up for the week, with 761 active rigs, up 11 from the previous week and down 432 from a year ago. The Canadian rig count, at 251, is down 25 from last week and down 75 from a year ago.

Including 109 rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, 1,012 rigs were working in North America March 28, down 14 from the previous week and down 507 from a year ago.

Alaska had 15 rigs active March 28, down one from the previous week, and up one from a year ago. Fourteen of the Alaska rigs were working onshore and one offshore (Cook Inlet). The previous week, there were three rigs working offshore (Cook Inlet) and 13 land rigs working in the state.

Baker Hughes has issued rotary rig counts since 1944 U.S. active rigs peaked at 4,530 in December 1981. The lowest U.S. rig count, 488, was in April 1999. Canadian rig activity peaked at 558 in January 2000. The lowest Canadian rig count was 29 in April 1992.