Acadiana Business

US rig count increases by 7 this week

by Walter Pierce

Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased to 1,782.

HOUSTON (AP) - Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by seven this week to 1,782.

The Houston-based company said in its weekly report Friday that 1,411 rigs were exploring for oil and 369 for gas. Two were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,799 active rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, North Dakota gained seven rigs, Texas gained six, Colorado gained four and Kansas and Pennsylvania each gained one.

Oklahoma lost six rigs, Utah lost five and California, Louisiana, West Virginia and Wyoming each lost one. Alaska, Arkansas, New Mexico and Ohio were unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.