BHI: US rig count drops 109 units in last month

Again led by losses in Texas and California, the US drilling rig count dropped 29 units to settle at 1,811 units working during the week ended Jan. 2, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Since Dec. 5, 2014, the count has plummeted by 109 units (OGJ Online, Dec. 5, 2014). The country, however, still has 60 more units compared with this week a year ago.

During the week, land rigs continued their precipitous fall, relinquishing 26 units to 1,744. Offshore rigs dropped 3 units to 55. Rigs drilling in inland waters were unchanged at 12.

Oil rigs fell 17 units to 1,482, while gas rigs fell 12 units to 328. Rigs considered unclassified remained at 1 unit working.

Horizontal drilling rigs lost 14 units to 1,336. Directional drilling rigs lost 6 units to 175.

Canada managed to outdo its southern neighbor in its decline, relinquishing 48 units to 208. Oil rigs comprised most of that loss, giving up 42 units to settle at just 52 total, 100 fewer than this week a year ago and its lowest total since May 2010. Gas rigs, meanwhile, gave up 6 units to settle at 156.

Overall, Canada is down 74 units compared with this week a year ago.

Major states, basins

In a week in which there were no gains in the major oil- and gas-producing states and basins, Texas reported the steepest fall, dropping 12 units overall to 840. California, which took the biggest hit last week, lost 6 units to 22, more than half of its total of 45 two weeks ago.

Colorado fell 3 units to 66. Louisiana fell 2 units to 109. Down 1 unit each, New Mexico now totals 101, Wyoming 56, Pennsylvania 53, Ohio 46, Arkansas 11, and Alaska 9.

Unchanged from a week ago were Oklahoma at 209, North Dakota at 169, Kansas at 29, West Virginia at 28, and Utah at 23.

Reflecting the decline in Texas, the Permian lost 6 units to 530 and Eagle Ford lost 4 units to 200.