May 11, 2018 - 12:30 PM
HOUSTON - The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 13 this week to 1,045.
At this time a year ago there were 885 active rigs.
Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes reported Friday that 844 rigs drilled for oil this week and 199 for gas. Two were listed as miscellaneous.
Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas added eight rigs, Colorado and Oklahoma each gained three, Alaska added two and Louisiana and West Virginia each gained one.
New Mexico declined by four rigs and Wyoming lost one.
Arkansas, California, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Utah were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May of 2016 at 404.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018