The number of oil and gas rigs active in the field held mostly steady in the past week in Oklahoma and across the nation, apparently taking a breather as crude oil prices bounced back to $84 a barrel in the U.S.
The national count, per reported by Baker Hughes Co. slipped by one to 542 while the number of active rigs in Oklahoma was unchanged from last week to this week with 43. Nationally, the number of oil rigs dropped 2 but still remained strong at 443 while the number of gas rigs increased one to 99.
The nation’s rig activity is still so much stronger than a year ago when there were only 287 rigs, oil and gas, active in the field. This week’s new numbers from Baker Hughes puts the count 255 higher than last year at this time including an increase of 232 oil rigs and 26 more gas rigs.
The rig count in Texas dropped by one to 249 while in New Mexico, another state that is home to the Permian Basin increased its count by two to 87.
The count in North Dakota where the Bakken play makes it one of the top oil-producing states in the country was unchanged at 22 rigs. Louisiana increased its numbers by one to 48 rigs. Colorado stayed at 11 rigs while numbers in Kansas, according to the Red Top Rig Report published by the Independent Oil & Gas Service, increased by 4 to 48.
Wyoming’s count fell by 3 to 15. Unchanged from last week’s counts were Ohio with 10, Pennsylvania with 17 and West Virginia with 11.
The Permian Basin which covers West Texas and Southeast New Mexico of course has the highest rig count at 268, an increase of one over the past week. The Haynesville in East Texas and Louisiana remained at 46 while the Williston in North Dakota stayed at 23.
The Cana Woodford of Oklahoma was unchanged at 22. So was the Ardmore Woodford at 2 and the Arkoma Woodford at 2. The D-J Basin in Colorado dropped by one to 11 rigs. The Eagle Ford of South Texas continued with 40.
The Marcellus saw no change with 27 rigs. The Mississippian stayed at one rig. The Utica was also unchanged with 10 rigs.
