Eagle Ford adds 5 rigs, Williston adds 3, Permian adds 2 for the week
Onshore drilling activity remained more or less unchanged for the week ended March 3, 2017, according to Baker Hughes’ (ticker: BHI) weekly report. The number of active rigs drilling onshore in the U.S. increased by just one rig to 734 this week. Total U.S. rigs increased by two to a total of 756, up 267 (55%) from the same period last year.
The number of rigs drilling for crude oil increased by seven week-over-week, but the total rig count was held back a small decline in the number of rigs targeting natural gas. Rigs drilling for gas fell by five from last week to 146, up 49 (51%) from this time last year.
Looking at variance by basin, the Eagle Ford saw the largest increase with five additional rigs this week bringing the total number in the play to 69 rigs. The Williston saw the next largest increase with three rigs, while the Permian added two rigs, and the Arkoma Woodford and Granite Wash added one rig each. The Permian remains the most active basin with 308 rigs drilling in the play.
The Barnett, Cana Woodford, DJ-Niobrara, Haynesville, Marcellus and Utica all reported one fewer rig this week compared to last.
