North America Drops Rigs Week on Week

North America dropped 13 rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was published on December 19.

The total U.S. rig count dropped by six week on week and the total Canada rig count decreased by seven during the same period, pushing the total North America rig count down to 727, the count outlined. The total North America rig count comprised 542 rigs from the U.S. and 185 rigs from Canada, the count showed.

Of the total U.S. rig count of 542, 524 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 15 are categorized as offshore rigs, and three are categorized as inland water rigs. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 406 oil rigs, 127 gas rigs, and nine miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 473 horizontal rigs, 54 directional rigs, and 15 vertical rigs.

Week on week, the U.S. land rig count dropped by four, its offshore rig count dropped by two, and its inland water rig count remained unchanged, Baker Hughes highlighted. The U.S. oil rig count decreased by eight week on week, its gas rig count remained unchanged week on week, and its miscellaneous rig count increased by two week on week, the count showed. The U.S. horizontal rig count dropped by five, its vertical rig count dropped by one, and its directional rig count remained unchanged, week on week, the count revealed.

A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, Louisiana dropped five rigs, New Mexico dropped two rigs, Colorado and Utah each dropped one rig, Texas added two rigs, and Oklahoma added one rig.

A major basin variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, the Permian and Haynesville basins each dropped three rigs, the Barnett and DJ-Niobrara basins each dropped one rig, and the Granite Wash basin added one rig.

Canada’s total rig count of 185 is made up of 119 oil rigs and 66 gas rigs, Baker Hughes pointed out. Week on week, the country’s oil rig count dropped by four, its gas rig count decreased by three, and its miscellaneous rig count remained unchanged, the count revealed.

The total North America rig count is down 28 rigs compared to year ago levels, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which showed that the U.S. has cut 47 rigs and Canada has added 19 rigs, year on year. The U.S. has dropped 77 oil rigs and added 25 gas rigs and five miscellaneous rigs, while Canada has added 10 gas rigs and nine oil rigs, year on year, the count outlined.

In its previous rig count, which was published on December 12, Baker Hughes showed that North America’s rig count remained unchanged week on week. The total U.S. rig count dropped by one week on week and the total Canada rig count rose by one during the same period, that count showed.

Baker Hughes’ December 5 rig count showed that North America added eight rigs week on week, its November 26 rig count revealed that North America dropped 17 rigs week on week, and its November 21 rig count showed that North America added 12 rigs week on week.

According to monthly rig count summary figures in Baker Hughes’ latest count, the North America rig count stood at 736 in December, 739 in November, 741 in October, 728 in September, 717 in August, 707 in July, 687 in June, 690 in May, 725 in April, 786 in March, 836 in February, and 791 in January.

Archived Baker Hughes data, which Rigzone was directed to by the Baker Hughes team, outlined that the North America rig count stood at 751 in December 2024, 789 in November 2024, 804 in October, September and August 2024, 779 in July 2024, 750 in June 2024, 722 in May 2024, 748 in April 2024, 822 in March 2024, 855 in February 2024, and 818 in January 2024.

This data outlined that, in 2023, the North America rig count stood at 784 in December, 816 in November, 814 in October, 819 in September, 836 in August, 858 in July, 832 in June, 817 in May, 861 in April, 948 in March, 1,006 in February, and 998 in January. 

Going further back, this data outlined that, in 2020, the North America rig count stood at 432 in December, 405 in November, 361 in October, 316 in September, 303 in August, 288 in July, 292 in June, 371 in May, 598 in April, 904 in March, 1,039 in February, and 996 in January. 

Baker Hughes states on its site that it has issued rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Baker Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of U.S. and Canadian drilling activity. On its site, the company describes the figures as “an important business barometer for the drilling industry and its suppliers”. The company notes on its site that working rig location information is provided in part by Enverus.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com