Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained seven rigs, New Mexico and West Virginia were up two and Oklahoma added one. Pennsylvania declined by five, California lost three, Louisiana was down two and Colorado and Kansas both were off one.
HOUSTON (AP) - Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by one this week to 1,874.
The Houston firm said in its weekly report Thursday that 1,562 rigs were exploring for oil and 311 for gas. One was listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,757 active rigs.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained seven rigs, New Mexico and West Virginia were up two and Oklahoma added one.
Pennsylvania declined by five, California lost three, Louisiana was down two and Colorado and Kansas both were off one.
Alaska, Arkansas, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah and Wyoming were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.