US drilling rig count up by 6 to 1,700

The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by six the week ending Jan. 7 to 1,700.

Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reported that 914 rigs were exploring for gas and 777 for oil. Nine were listed as miscellaneous.

A year ago, the count was 1,220.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Colorado and Oklahoma each gained four rigs, Texas and Wyoming added two apiece and North Dakota gained one.

Louisiana lost eight rigs and Alaska and West Virginia each lost one. The rig counts in Arkansas, California, New Mexico and Pennsylvania were unchanged.

The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981, the height of the oil boom. The record low of 488 was in 1999.

—The Associated Press