Texas again led a decline in oil and gas drilling as the nation’s count of active rigs dropped below 1,000 for the first time in more than a year. According to Baker Hughes, as of April 26, Texas lost 9 rigs in the past week to 491, and the Permian Basin count declined 3 to 460. The U.S. count was down 21 rigs to 991, including a loss of 20 oil-directed rigs to 805. A year ago, there were 452 rigs in Permian Basin, 513 in Texas and 1,021 in U.S. (including 825 oil-directed). That’s the fewest rigs in U.S. since March 2018. Texas has lost almost 50 rigs since 540 as of Oct. 19, 2018, and Permian Basin has lost 33 rigs since 493 as of Nov. 16, 2018. New Mexico remains No. 2 among states with 104 rigs – down 1 in the past week, but up from 87 a year ago.
Other leading states include Oklahoma with 102 rigs (102 last week, 133 last year), Louisiana with 62 rigs (63 last week, 60 last year) and North Dakota with 58 rigs (61 last week, 55 last year). Other leading regions include Eagle Ford with 73 rigs (77 last week, 75 last year), Marcellus with 62 rigs (62 last week, 54 last year), Williston with 58 rigs (61 last week, 56 last year) and Haynesville with 54 rigs (54 last week, 53 last year).