West Texas oil field. Photo by CNN
HOUSTON (AP) — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by two, reaching 1,759.
The Houston-based company said Friday in its weekly report that 1,391 rigs were exploring for oil and 362 for gas. Six were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, there were 1,953 active rigs.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, New Mexico gained three, Ohio and Wyoming two each, and Alaska, Kansas, Louisiana and Texas one apiece.
Oklahoma declined by five, North Dakota lost three and West Virginia was down one.
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Utah were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.