Drilling activity continues to fall

HOUSTON — The US rig count continued to plummet, down by 60 rotary rigs with 1,339 working this week, the lowest number since the week ended June 10, 2005.

That is down from 1,773 active rigs a year ago at this period, with cuts in every category, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.


Land operations lost 55 rigs to 1,275 working this week. Inland waters activity was down 1 to 6 rigs. Offshore drilling declined by 4 rigs to 57 in the Gulf of Mexico and 58 in the whole US offshore.

The number of rigs drilling for oil dropped by 10 to 273. Those drilling for natural gas were down 50 to 1,054. There were 12 rigs unclassified. Horizontal drilling was down by 21 units to 497. Directional drilling dropped 22 to 259.

Oil and Gas Journal