The US drilling rig count increased by 6 units to reach 503 rigs working for the week ended Sept. 10, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is up 249 units from the 254 rigs working this time a year ago.
The number of rigs drilling on land was up 2 units week-over-week with a total of 497. The number of rigs drilling offshore was up 4 to 6. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters was unchanged at zero.
US oil-directed rigs were up 7 from last week at 401 units. This time a year ago, 180 units were drilling for oil. Rigs targeting gas decreased by 1 to 101, 30 more than were drilling for gas at this time a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas-producing states, Louisiana saw the largest increase. Four additional rigs brought Louisiana’s rig count to 39 for the week as the state works to recover following Hurricane Ida’s landfall Sunday, Aug. 29.
Texas and Utah also saw increases this week. With an additional 3 rigs running, Texas saw its rig count increase to 235 for the week while Utah gained a single rig to reach 12.
Pennsylvania, with a 2-unit decrease, ended the week with 17 rigs working.
Nine states remained unchanged this week, namely New Mexico, 82; Oklahoma, 32; North Dakota, 22; Wyoming, 18; Ohio, 12; Colorado 11; West Virginia, 9 California, 6; and Alaska, 5.
Canada’s rig count decreased by 9 units to 143 rigs drilling for the week. The count is 91 more than the 52 units drilling this week a year ago. At 87 units, Canada’s oil-directed rig count decreased by 5 rigs from last week. The gas-directed rig count in Canada decreased by 4 rigs to 56 rigs running for the week.