Baker Hughes: US drilling rig count decreases to 1,860

The US drilling rig count dropped 6 units to 1,860 rigs working during the week ended June 6, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The decline follows BHI’s report that the average US rig count for May was 1,859, 24 more than April’s count and 92 more than in May 2013.

During the week, land rigs declined 5 units to 1,787 and offshore rigs fell 2 units to 58, while rigs drilling in inland waters edged up a unit to 15.

Gas rigs decreased 6 units to 320. Unchanged from a week ago were oil rigs at 1,536 and rigs considered unclassified at 4.

Directional drilling rigs jumped 9 units to 221. Horizontal drilling rigs edged down a unit to 1,250.

Canada’s rig count, meanwhile, increased 16 units to 214, a gain of 62 from this week a year ago. A 17-unit spike in oil rigs to 122 was nicked by a 1-unit loss in gas rigs to 92.

The average Canadian rig count for May was 162, down 42 from April's count and up 34 from May 2013's count.

Major states, basins

Just three of the major oil-and gas-producing states experienced increases to their respective rig counts during the week. Texas tallied 2 units to 896, while Wyoming and Ohio each rose a unit to 48 and 39, respectively.

Unchanged from a week ago were North Dakota at 169, New Mexico at 86, Kansas at 31, Utah at 27, West Virginia at 25, and Arkansas at 11.

With 1-unit declines, Oklahoma, Colorado, California, and Alaska have respective totals of 198, 65, 48, and 10. Louisiana and Pennsylvania each lost 3 units to 111 and 57, respectively.

Losses in the major US basins were headlined by the Mississippian’s 3-unit drop to 80, the Permian’s 2-unit drop to 548, and the Cana Woodford’s 2-unit drop to 23. The Barnett managed to gain 2 units to 28.