BHI: US rig count falls 6 units to 857

The US drilling rig count fell 6 units to reach 857 during the week ended July 17, essentially cancelling out the last 3 weeks’ worth of gains, according to data from Baker Hughes Inc.

The losses came from rigs drilling on land and in inland waters. Land rigs were down 3 units to 824, while those drilling in inland waters also fell 3 units to reach 2 rigs working.

During the week, rigs targeting oil fell 7 units to 638. Gas-directed rigs, meanwhile, were up 1 unit to 218. Rigs considered unclassified were unchanged at 1 rig working.

Rigs engaged in horizontal drilling fell 4 units to 650. Directional drilling rigs lost 4 units to 84.

Rigs drilling offshore and in the Gulf of Mexico were both unchanged this week, both maintaining counts of 31.

Canada’s rig count continued its upward climb, jumping 23 units to 192. Its count has now risen in 8 of the last 10 weeks. This week’s gain was spurred by a rebound in gas-directed rigs, which were up 16 units to 94. Oil-directed rigs, meanwhile, were up 7 units to 98 rigs working. Canada’s overall count is still down 189 year-over-year.

Among the major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana lost 3 units to reach 69 rigs working. Texas, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania each were down 2 rigs, reaching respective totals of 366, 68, and 43. Oklahoma, at 105, and California, at 11, were each down 1 unit. Unchanged from a week ago were Wyoming, 21; Ohio, 19; West Virginia, 18; Utah, 7; and Arkansas, 4. Four states gained a single rig this week: New Mexico, 50; Colorado, 39; Alaska, 11; and Kansas, 11.

At 98 units, there were 4 fewer rigs drilling in the Eagle Ford this week, while the Marcellus area lost 3 units to 59.