The nation’s oil and gas rig count grew by 10 over the past week as oil prices remained steady around the $50 a barrel mark. Oklahoma’s count remained steady at 58 compared to last week, according to figures released by Baker Hughes Company of Houston, Texas.
The nation’s count grew to 424, adding 9 more oil rigs and one gas rig. But the count is still 433 less from last year when the country had 857 working rigs. Over the past year, the national rig count fell 294 oil rigs and 137 gas rigs.
Oklahoma’s count of 58 compares to 105 a year ago, a drop of 47 as oil prices plunged. Colorado’s count is unchanged for the past week at 16 and Kansas is steady at two working rigs. Louisiana fell by one to reach 46 and New Mexico was unchanged at 20 rigs. North Dakota stayed at 24 compared to the 77 it had one year ago. Texas had the largest increase with 13 more rigs, reaching 191 for the week. A year ago, it had 363 working rigs.
Of the various oil and gas plays, Oklahoma’s Granite Wash remained at 7 rigs, compared to the 16 it had a year ago., The Ardmore Woodford has one working rig, down seven in the past year. The Arkoma Woodford count is at two, a drop of four over the past 12 months.
The Eagle Ford in South Texas added four rigs to reach 34, still a far cry from the 104 it had one year ago. The Mississippian in northern Oklahoma is at four, a drop of one over the past week and a decline of 18 in the past year.
The Permian in West Texas added four rigs to reach 146, still 87 below what it had last year at this time.