Baker Hughes: US drilling rig count edges down to 1,769

The US drilling rig count gave up 2 units to settle at 1,769 rigs working during the week ended Feb. 28, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Both of those units were rigs drilling offshore, bringing that total to 55. Unchanged from a week ago were land-based rigs at 1,696 and rigs drilling in inland waters at 18.

A 5-unit gain in oil rigs to 1,430 was more than offset by a 7-unit loss in gas rigs to 335. Rigs considered unclassified were unchanged at 4.

Horizontal drilling rigs edged down 1 unit to 1,181 while directional drilling rigs were unchanged at 197.

Canada’s total rig count relinquished 6 units to settle at 626. Oil rigs added 1 unit to reach 423. Gas rigs declined 7 units to 203. Canada now has 29 fewer rigs compared with this week a year ago.

Major states, basins

Activity in the major oil- and gas-producing states was distributed somewhat equitably. Alaska’s 3-unit rise brought its total to 17. North Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming each collected 2 more units to respective counts of 168, 62, and 53. New Mexico and Ohio each tallied 1 unit to 82 and 40, respectively.

Unchanged from a week ago were Oklahoma at 181, California at 36, Utah at 26, and Arkansas at 12.

Texas, Pennsylvania, and Kansas each dropped 2 units to 844, 52, and 30, respectively. Louisiana and West Virginia each lost 3 units to 102 and 27, respectively.

A 6-unit jump in the Permian represented the largest rise among the major US basins. The Mississippian and Granite Wash, meanwhile, each let go of 3 units to 71 and 51, respectively. The Marcellus fell 4 units to 78.