Nation’s rig count holds steady but slips in Oklahoma and plunges in Kansas

Reports show the number of oil and gas rigs in Oklahoma dropped by one in the past week but grew by the same amount nationwide. And a stunning drop was recorded in Kansas.

Baker Hughes reports Oklahoma’s count was 102 active rigs, down one from a week ago while a year ago, there were 142 rigs in the state.

Nationally, the count increased by one to reach 984. The number of oil rigs increased by three to reach 800 while the number of gas rigs dropped by two to 184. The U.S. count is down 76 from a year  ago when there were 1,060 active rigs. Since then, the oil rig count dropped 61 while the number of gas-drilling rigs dropped by 13.

Oklahoma’s count compares to 480 in Texas where the number is down by one from a week ago. A year ago, Texas had 535 active rigs.

But perhaps the most stunning drop occurred in Kansas in the past week where the count plummeted from 26 last week to 10 this week according to the Red Top Rig Report published by the Independent Oil and Gas Service in Wichita, Kansas. That’s a 62 percent drop in a week. The count is also 74 percent lower than one year ago.

Colorado’s count remained at 31 in the past week while New Mexico saw an increase of two to reach 101. Louisiana added one rig to reach 64 while North Dakota stayed at 57.

Oklahoma’s Woodfords oil plays stayed at 8 compared to 12 reported a year ago. The Granite Wash had 14 active rigs one year ago but reported 7 this past week. The Mississippian continued at 4. The Permian Basin saw an increase of one rig to reach 452 but still down from the 477 reported a year earlier.

The D-J Basin in Northern Colorado continued at 29 while the Eagle Ford in South Texas stayed at 75.