Count of active drilling rigs increased for the fourth straight week and seventh time in the last eight weeks in Permian Basin, according to the weekly report of April 28 from Baker Hughes. There were 361 rigs in Permian Basin (358 last week, 335 year ago) – up from 353 to start the year. Also, there were 377 rigs in Texas (377 last week, 345 year ago), 107 in New Mexico (105 last week, 97 year ago) and 755 in U.S. (753 last week, 698 year ago). Texas and New Mexico also are up this year, but U.S. is down from 621.
New Mexico counties Eddy (unchanged at 54) and Lea (up 2 to 51) continue to lead Permian Basin in active rigs followed by Texas counties Reeves (down 2 to 44), Martin (up 1 to 41) and Midland (up 2 to 32). The other basin counties with at least 10 rigs are Loving with 26, Upton with 18, Howard with 14 (down 4 from last week), Ward with 12, Andrews with 11 and Regan with 10.
Louisiana is third among states with 60 rigs (57 last week) followed by Oklahoma with 53 (56 last week) and North Dakota with 39 (40 last week). Eagle Ford in south Texas is second among regions with 67 rigs (68 last week) followed by Haynesville in east Texas and Louisiana with 63 (64 last week), Marcellus with 42 and Williston with 40.