The U.S. count of active oil and gas drilling rigs fell below 900 for the first time since 2017. Baker Hughes reported that as of Sept. 6 there were 898 rigs in the U.S. – down 6 rigs from 904 a week ago and down 150 rigs (14 percent) from 1,048 a year ago. There were 738 oil-directed rigs – down from 742 a week ago and 860 a year ago. Texas was down 3 rigs in the past week to 438 (528 a year ago), and runner-up New Mexico was unchanged in the past week with 108 rigs (100 a year ago).
In the Permian Basin, there were 427 rigs as of Sept. 6 (429 previous week, 484 previous year). Reeves County leads with 58 rigs (unchanged in past week) followed by Lea, N.M., with 53 (down 2 in past week), Eddy, N.M., with 50 (up 2), Midland County with 47 rigs (down 2), Martin with 37 (up 1), Loving with 31 (up 1), Ward with 23 (up 1), Howard with 22 (down 2) and Upton with 21 (up 2).
Third among states is Oklahoma with 75 rigs – down from 80 the previous week and down 45 percent from 137 a year ago. Other leaders include Louisiana with 60 (60 last week, 58 last year) and North Dakota with 54 (51 last week, 53 last year). Eagle Ford in south Texas remains runner-up among regions with 67 rigs (67 last week, 78 last year) followed by Williston with 54 (51 last week, 53 last year), Marcellus with 52 (52 last week, 53 last year) and Haynesville with 49 (49 last week, 48 last year).