BHI: Kansas, Granite Wash lead week of modest changes in US rig count
The US drilling rig count opened the month by adding 3 units to reach 1,920 rigs working during the week ended Dec. 5, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. The US has 145 more units compared with this week a year ago.
November ended with an average US rig count of 1,925, unchanged from October but up 169 from November 2013.
During the week, offshore rigs gained 4 units to 58 while rigs drilling in inland waters gained 2 units to 14. Land rigs declined 3 units to 1,848.
Oil rigs increased 3 units to 1,575. Unchanged from a week ago were gas rigs at 344 and rigs considered unclassified at 1.
Directional drilling rigs were up 4 units to 194. Horizontal drilling rigs, meanwhile, were down 3 units to 1,368.
Canada’s rig count lost 16 units to 422. The drop is attributed to a 17-unit decline in oil rigs to 212. Gas rigs gained a unit to 210. Canada now has 20 more rigs working compared with this week a year ago.
The average Canadian rig count for November was 421, down 3 from October but up 36 from November 2013. The worldwide rig count for November totaled 3,670, up 13 from October and up 218 from November 2013.
Major states, basins
Kansas ended October leading the major oil- and gas-producing states with an increase in its rig count, and began December on the same note, tallying 5 units to reach 26 (OGJ Online, Oct. 31, 2014). Louisiana rose 4 units to 114. Arkansas and Alaska each gained 2 units to 12 and 11, respectively. New Mexico, Ohio, and California each edged up a unit to respective totals of 100, 45, and 43.
Unchanged from a week ago were North Dakota at 180, West Virginia at 31, and Utah at 23.
Wyoming and Pennsylvania each edged down a unit to 59 and 55, respectively. Colorado fell 2 units to 70. Oklahoma dropped 3 units to 211. For the second consecutive week Texas lost 5 units, with its total now settling at 896.
The Granite Wash led the major US basins with a 4-unit jump to 63. Dropping 3 units to settle at 206, the Eagle Ford led in losses despite recently hitting 1 billion bbl in production according to data from Wood Mackenzie Ltd. (OGJ Online, Dec. 5, 2014).
