Worldwide rig count is up for August

  • September 10, 2018

Houston-based Baker Hughes is out with its monthly report of rig activity around the world and says the international count for August was 1,008, up eleven from July.

It was also 56 more than the 952 rigs reported in August of last year.

The international offshore rig count for August 2018 was 212, down 5 from the 217 counted in July 2018, and up 11 from the 201 counted in August 2017.

The average U.S. rig count for August 2018 was unchanged at 1,050 counted in July 2018, and up 103 from the 947 counted in August 2017. The average Canadian rig count for August 2018 was 220, up 16 from the 204 counted in July 2018, and up 3 from the 217 counted in August 2017.

The worldwide rig count for August 2018 was 2,278, up 27 from the 2,251 counted in July 2018, and up 162 from the 2,116 counted in August 2017.

August 2018 Rig Counts

August 2018 July 2018 August 2017
Land Offshore Total

Month
Variance

 Land Offshore Total Land Offshore Total
Latin America 168 24 192 2 161 29 190 160 31 191
Europe 53 32 85 5 48 32 80 53 38 91
Africa 87 17 104 6 79 19 98 72 12 84
Middle East 351 51 402 2 354 46 400 340 51 391
Asia Pacific 137 88 225 -4 138 91 229 126 69 195
International 796 212 1,008 11 780 217 997 751 201 952
United States 1,031 19 1,050 0 1,032 18 1,050 930 17 947
Canada 219 1 220 16 201 3 204 215 2 217
North America 1,250 20 1,270 16 1,233 21 1,254 1,145 19 1,164
Worldwide 2,046 232 2,278 27 2,013 238 2,251 1,896 220 2,116

The Baker Hughes rig counts are counts of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the U.S., Canada and international markets. The company has issued the rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of the U.S. and Canadian drilling activity. The monthly international rig count was initiated in 1975.

 

Jerry Bohnen