A decline of 8 oil-directed drilling rigs in the U.S. last week led to a second straight week of falling count of active rigs. In the weekly report of Dec. 19 from Baker Hughes, U.S. reported 542 drilling rigs (down 6 in the past week from 548 and down 47 or 7.98 percent in the past year from 589). The oil rig count fell to 406 from 414, but gas-directed rigs were unchanged in the past week with 127.
Also as of Dec. 19, there were 246 rigs in Permian Basin (down 3 in past week, down 58 or 19.08 percent from 304 in the past year), 230 in Texas (up 2 in past week, down 55 or 19.30 percent from 285 in past year) and 102 in New Mexico (down 2 in past week, down 1 in past year).
Haynesville remains No. 2 among regions with 42 rigs (down 3 in past week) followed by Eagle Ford with 39, Williston with 29 and Marcellus with 24 – all three unchanged. Among states, Oklahoma (up 1) and Louisiana (down 5) have 42 rigs each followed by North Dakota with 27 (unchanged).