The number of oil and gas rigs active in Oklahoma and the U.S. grew n the past week with Oklahoma’s count increasing by one to 17 and national numbers growing by six to 417. It appears increased oil prices are slowly attracting more drilling interest as reflected in Oklahoma by growing numbers of permits to drill approved by regulators.
Oklahoma’s count of 17 compared to 39 rigs at this time last year when the COVID-19 pandemic started to take hold of the state.
Nationally, the U.S. count of 417 compared to Canada where the numbers fell by 11 in the past week to 81. The U.S. rig count, released by Baker Hughes showed an increase of six more oil rigs reaching a total of 324 while the number of gas rigs stayed at 92.
Still, the U.S. rig numbers are 311 below the 728 reported one year ago. The decline includes a drop of 300 oil rigs and 10 gas rigs. Offshore numbers fell by one in the past week to 12.
Texas numbers grew by three to reach 205 while New Mexico’s count stayed at 67. Colorado saw an increase of one to 9 rigs while Louisiana lost one rig leaving 46 active in the state.
Heavy rains and wet fields in the past two weeks resulted in a drop of 8 rigs in Kansas, leaving only a dozen working rigs according to the Red Top Rig Report published by the Independent Oil and Gas Service in Wichita, Kansas.
North Dakota added a rig to reach 14. Ohio was unchanged at 9 wile Pennsylvania remained at 18. West Virginia was also unchanged at 12. Wyoming stayed at five.
The end result is this….a lot of rigs are still in storage.
The Permian Basin of course saw the most gains with five more rigs making a total of 221 rigs, thanks to increased oil prices. The Haynesville was unchanged at 45 rigs. The Williston saw a gain of one to 14 rigs.
The Woodfords in Oklahoma still have no rig activity. The D-J Niobrara stayed at 7 while while the Eagle Ford in South Texas saw a drop of one to 31 active rigs.
Oklahoma’s Granite Wash still has no rig activity. The Mississippian in Oklahoma and Kansas, according to the Baker Hughes numbers is also void of any rig activity.
The Utica remained at 9 active rigs.