Getting your player ready...
HOUSTON—The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. is up nine this week to 1,974.
Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,372 rigs were exploring for oil and 598 were looking for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week, Baker Hughes reported 1,830 rigs.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma gained three rigs; Alaska and California each gained two; and Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming were up one apiece.
Louisiana declined by two rigs while Colorado, New Mexico and Pennsylvania were down one each. Arkansas and North Dakota were unchanged.
The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
