( Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg)
The number of active oil and gas rigs in Oklahoma increased in the past week, according to the Baker Hughes Co. rig count released Thursday.
Oklahoma’s count gained two to 44 rigs, still far below the 68 active rigs reported one year ago.
Nationally, the count dropped three to 620. Baker Hughes reported there was a decline of 3 oil rigs to 498 nationally while the number of gas-drilling rigs active in the patch increased by one to 120.
The US count is 159 fewer than a year ago when the numbers were 779 rigs. The decline included a loss of 124 oil rigs and 35 gas rigs.
Oklahoma’s count of 44 rigs compared to Texas where the count is 306, a decline of two in the past week. New Mexico fell by two more and stands at 98 rgs while North Dakota was unchanged at 31 rigs. Louisiana stayed at 42.
The Red Top Rig Report showed Kansas was unchanged at 35 rigs. Colorado continued with 17 and Ohio saw no change with its count of 12 rigs. Pennsylvania experienced a decline of one rig, leaving 19 while West Virginia stayed at 9 rigs and Wyoming was unchanged at 14 rigs.
Of the oil plays, the Permian Basin count fell by three to 307. The Williston stayed at 32. The Eagle Ford added one to reach 54. The Haynesville count went up one to 44 rigs while the Marcellus fell one to 28 rigs.
The Ardmore Woodford added a rig to reach two while the Arkoma Woodford came out of its weeks of no rig activity with a report of one new rig. The Cana Woodford count grew by one to reach 22. The Barnett stayed at one rig.
The D-J Basin was unchanged at 14 and the Granite Wash stayed at two rigs. The Mississippian still has no reported drilling activity, based on the Baker Hughes report.
The Utica stayed at 12 rigs.