The U.S. rig count fell by 12 in the last week to 522 as of June 16, according to Enverus Rig Analytics. But the count also shows Oklahoma City’s Ascent Resources and Chesapeake Energy continue to be active in Appalachia.
The count is down 3% on the month but up 86% on the year. The most notable changes in the last week were a five-rig increase to 60 rigs running in the Gulf Coast and a three-rig drop to 43 in Appalachia. Looking at movement over the last month, the situation is reversed: The Gulf Coast is 10 rigs down while Appalachia is actually up by two.
In Appalachia, the most active operators are Ascent Resources and Southwestern Energy, which are running four rigs each. Operators running three rigs are Antero Resources, Chesapeake Energy, EQT Corp., National Fuel Gas subsidiary Seneca Resources, Tug Hill Operating and Cabot Oil & Gas.
For the sake of comparison, there are 56 rigs running in Ark-La-Tex, the other major gas area in the U.S. Most of those rigs are targeting the Haynesville.
The most active operators are Aethon Energy (nine rigs), Comstock Resources (five), Indigo Natural Resources (five), Rockcliff Energy (four), GeoSouthern Energy (three), Sabine Oil & Gas (three) and Vine Energy (three).
The Ark-La-Tex count is down by three on the week and down two on the month but up nearly 50%, or 27 rigs, on the year. Only five Appalachian rigs have been added over the last year.
Click here for the Interactive Daily U.S. Rig Count