Baker Hughes: US rig count up 11 units from last week

The US drilling rig count gained 11 units to 947 rigs working during the week ended Jan. 26, data from Baker Hughes indicate. This total is up 228 units from a year ago.

Offshore units were down 2, with 17 working in the Gulf of Mexico. A total 929 rigs were drilling on land, up 13 units from last week. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters remained unchanged at 1 unit.

Rigs targeting oil jumped 12 units to 759 and were up from the 566 rigs drilling for oil a year ago this week. Gas-targeted rigs were down 1 unit to reach 188 units. This time a year ago, 145 were drilling for gas.

Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Texas saw the largest increase in rigs week over week with a 13-unit jump to reach 466 rigs working. West Virginia gained 4 units to reach 19, and New Mexico gained 3 units to reach 85 rigs working.

Oklahoma saw the largest drop in rigs week-over-week, dropping 4 rigs to 117. The rig count in Louisiana dropped 3 units to reach 59, and Ohio and Utah each dropped 1 rig to reach 22 and 10, respectively.

Six states remained unchanged, namely North Dakota, 44; Pennsylvania, 37; Colorado, 32; Wyoming, 29; California, 14; and Alaska, 5.

Canada gained 13 units to 338 rigs from a week ago. There are 7 less rigs working than this week a year ago. Oil-directed rigs rose 12 units this week to 220, while those targeting gas increased 1 unit to 118.