US drilling rig count down 2 to 489

The number of rigs drilling for oil and natural gas in the U.S. decreased by two the week ending Aug. 26 to 489.

A year ago, 877 rigs were active. Depressed energy prices have sharply curtailed oil and gas exploration.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said 406 rigs sought oil, unchanged from the previous week, and 81 were drilling for natural gas, down two. Two rigs were listed as miscellaneous.

Canada had 146 rigs active, up 25 from the previous week; a year ago 196 rigs were active in Canada.

Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Pennsylvania gained two rigs and Wyoming was up one. Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, Texas and West Virginia each declined by one. Alaska, Arkansas, California, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah were unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May at 404.

- Associated Press