Permian Basin led the nation in a declining drilling rig count in the final report of 2019 by Houston-based Baker Hughes. As of Dec. 27, there were 405 active oil and gas rigs in Permian Basin (414 previous week, 486 previous year/down 16.7 percent for year), 404 rigs in Texas (418 previous week, 532 previous year/down 24.1 percent for year) and 805 in U.S. (813 previous week, 1,083 previous year/down 25.7 percent for year). Peak rig counts in 2019 were 488 in Permian Basin, 534 in Texas and 1,083 in U.S.
Rig counts in other leading regions as of Dec. 27 include Eagle Ford with 67 (67 previous week, 80 previous year), Williston with 52 (51 previous week, 56 previous year), Haynesville with 49 (50 previous week, 52 previous year) and Marcellus with 41 (40 previous week, 57 previous year). Other leading states include New Mexico with 105 rigs (103 previous week, 106 previous year, 113 peak in 2019), Louisiana with 58 rigs (58 previous week, 67 previous year), Oklahoma with 52 rigs (51 previous week, 88 previous year) and North Dakota with 50 rigs (49 previous week, 53 previous year).
Lea County, N.M., added 2 rigs in past week to lead Permian Basin with 53 followed by Midland and Eddy, N.M., with 51 each, Reeves with 45, Loving with 36, Martin with 31, Howard with 25 and Ward with 24.