DJ-Niobrara adds 5, Haynesville and Utica add 2, Permian adds only 1 rig this week
U.S. drilling activity has increased in the week ended March 10, 2017, according to Baker Hughes’ (ticker: BHI) weekly rig count. The total number of rigs active in the U.S. is up by 12 from last week, with land rigs up by nine. 768 rigs are currently active in the U.S. up from 756 last week and 480 one year ago.
Unusually, half of the rigs added this week were vertical rigs. Horizontal rigs dominate U.S. drilling activity with 639 rigs currently drilling horizontal wells. By contrast, only 68 rigs are currently drilling vertical wells. Rigs drilling for gas also increased more than usual, growing by five in the last week to 151. Rigs targeting oil increased by eight this week, bringing the total number of oil rigs up to 617.
The DJ-Niobrara saw the largest increase by basin, with four rigs added this week bringing the basin total to 24. The Haynesville and Utica both added two rigs, while the Permian basin added one. The Cana Woodford and Eagle Ford both saw active rigs decrease by one, while two were lost in the Granite Wash.
The number of rigs active in Canada decreased by 20 to a total of 315 this week. Oil targeting rigs in Canada decreased by 17 to 180, while gas rigs decreased by three to a total of 135.
