Baker Hughes’ count of active oil and gas drilling rigs rebounded in the weekly report for Dec. 20 for the first gains in Permian Basin, Texas and U.S. since October. Baker Hughes said there were 414 rigs in Permian Basin (400 a week ago, 486 a year ago), 418 in Texas (400 previous week, 531 previous year) and 813 in U.S. (799 previous week, 1,080 previous year). New Mexico’s count was 103 (102 previous week, 106 previous year). The rising rig count in Permian Basin and Texas reversed a streak of eight straight weeks of declining or unchanged rig counts. Permian’s gain of 14 was the largest in one week since January 2018.
Midland County (up 1 rig in past week) and Eddy (down 1 in past week) and Lea (up 2 in past week) counties in New Mexico each has 51 rigs to lead the Permian Basin. Other top counties include Reeves with 45 (up 8 in past week), Loving with 41, Martin with 29, Howard with 26 and Ward with 23.
Other leading states as of Dec. 20 were Louisiana with 58 rigs (56 last week, 66 last year), Oklahoma with 51 (50 last week, 141 last year) and North Dakota with 49 rigs (50 last week, 53 last year). Other leading regions were Eagle Ford with 67 rigs (60 last week, 80 last year), Williston with 51 (52 last week, 56 last year) and Haynesville with 50 (50 last week, 51 last year).