The US drilling rig count gained 9 units to 641 during the week ended Sept. 15, according to Baker Hughes Inc. data. All 9 of the rigs to come online are drilling on land, and 8 of the 9 units are gas-directed.
The increase in gas-directed rigs working in the US brings the total to 121, but the count is still down 41 from the same period in 2022.
Oil-directed rigs edged up 2 units to 515, while 1 rig considered unclassified dropped from the count to leave 5 working for the week.
The 9-unit increase in land rigs brought the count to 619 for the week, which is 125 rigs fewer than were drilling during the year-ago period. Five of those rigs are horizontal, bringing that count to 567, while three were vertical and one is directional.
Of the major oil and gas producing states, Texas saw the largest increase in rigs with a 7-unit jump to 317 this week. Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah each gained a single unit this week for respective counts of 21, 16, and 15 rigs working.
The overall US offshore rig count is unchanged at 19 rigs working for the week, up 4 from the year-ago period. Three rigs remain operating in inland waters.
Canada's count increased by 8 units this week to 190. The count is 21 fewer than were drilling in Canada this time last year. Of those drilling, 6 more were oil-directed this week, bringing the count to 119. Two gas-directed rigs were added this week to bring the count to 71.