HOUSTON (AP) — The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 29 this week to 975.
That exceeds the 741 rigs that were active this time a year ago.
Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes reported Friday that 791 rigs drilled for oil this week and 184 for gas.
Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas increased by 14 rigs, North Dakota and Wyoming each gained four, Louisiana and New Mexico each increased by three and Kansas and Oklahoma each gained one.
Colorado decreased by one.
Alaska, Arkansas, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May of 2016 at 404.
First Published: February 9, 2018, 5:00 a.m.
Updated: February 9, 2018, 6:44 p.m.
