US drilling rig count down by 6 to 1,811

The number of rigs actively drilling for oil and natural gas in the U.S. fell the week ending Nov. 30 by six, to 1,811.

Texas-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported that 1,386 rigs were drilling for oil and 424 for gas. One was listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes counted 1,993 rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained two rigs.

New Mexico, North Dakota and Wyoming each lost two rigs while Colorado, Louisiana and West Virginia each lost one. Alaska, Arkansas, California, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania were unchanged.

The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.

—Associated Press