The U.S. rig count was up by seven week over week at 766 rigs as of April 13, according to Enverus Rig Analytics.
Activity levels are down 0.4% in the last month and up 48% YOY. The count was as high as 770 in the last week, which is up nine compared to the prior week’s peak.
The largest weekly gain was in the Gulf Coast, where four rigs were added, bringing the total to 98. Activity is at pre-pandemic levels in the play. The most active counties are LaSalle (nine rigs), Webb (nine), DeWitt (eight) and Karnes (eight). By operator, ConocoPhillips and EOG Resources are the most active at five rigs each.
Another area that has rigs at or above pre-pandemic levels is Ark-La-Tex. At 81 rigs running, the region is up 50% YOY and up around 65% compared to pre-pandemic 2020 (January and February average). Aethon Energy is the most active operator and has doubled its rig count in the last year to 14.
The next most active are Southwestern Energy (10), Chesapeake Energy (six) and Comstock Resources (six). While counties in the Louisiana Haynesville rank as the most active—DeSoto Parish has 17 rigs running, while Caddo Parish has 11—the next three are in the Texas Haynesville, with seven rigs each running in Harrison, Panola and San Augustine counties. The most notable on that list is San Augustine as it had no rigs running a year ago. Aethon is responsible for six rigs of that San Augustine surge.
The Appalachian Basin is also running eight more rigs than the pre-pandemic 2020 average and is up 18% YOY at 53 rigs. Range Resources, Tug Hill Operating, Ascent Resources, EQT and Southwestern Energy are running four rigs each. Of the total, 50% are running in Pennsylvania, 29% are in West Virginia and 20% are in Ohio. One rig is also running in New York.