Baker Hughes: US rig count gains 6 units to 990

The US drilling rig count gained 6 units to 990 working during the week ended Mar. 16, data from Baker Hughes indicate. This total is up 201 units from a year ago.

Offshore units were unchanged from last week with 13 rigs working in the Gulf of Mexico. A total of 973 rigs were drilling on land, up 6 from last week. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters was unchanged at 4 units.

Rigs targeting oil were up 4 units to 800 and also up from the 631 rigs drilling for oil this week a year ago. Gas-targeted rigs were up 1 unit to reach 189. This time a year ago, 157 units were drilling for gas.

Among the major oil and gas-producing states, Oklahoma saw the largest increase in rigs week over week with a 4-unit gain to reach 124 rigs working. North Dakota, at 53 units this week, was up 3. Texas was up 2 units this week to 492. New Mexico, Ohio, West Virginia, and Arkansas were each up 1 unit to respective counts of 88, 23, 17, and 1.

California and Utah, at respective counts of 14 and 9, were both unchanged this week. Louisiana, at 57, and Wyoming, at 30, were down 1 unit each. Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Alaska were all down 2 rigs to respective counts of 40, 29, and 7.

Canada lost 54 rigs to 219 working from a week ago. There are 57 fewer rigs working than this week a year ago. Oil-directed rigs decreased 52 units this week to 144, while those targeting gas fell 2 units to 75.