The number of operating oil and natural gas rigs in the United States rose sharply by 22 to 1,882 this week, according to a weekly report released here on Friday.
A total of 1,003 rigs were exploring for oil and 873 for natural gas, with another six rigs listed as miscellaneous, according to the report released by Houston-based oil service company Baker Hughes Inc.
The rig count stood at 1,552 a year ago.
Of the major U.S. oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma gained 11 rigs and Texas added five. Pennsylvania and Colorado gained three rigs each, and Alaska and Wyoming gained two each. California gained one.
The Baker Hughes rig counts, first issued in 1944, act as an important business barometer for drilling firms and their suppliers to gauge the overall business environment of the oil and gas industry.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 as a result of the oil boom. It plummeted to a record low of 488 in 1999.
Source:Xinhua Weekly review
A total of 1,003 rigs were exploring for oil and 873 for natural gas, with another six rigs listed as miscellaneous, according to the report released by Houston-based oil service company Baker Hughes Inc.
The rig count stood at 1,552 a year ago.
Of the major U.S. oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma gained 11 rigs and Texas added five. Pennsylvania and Colorado gained three rigs each, and Alaska and Wyoming gained two each. California gained one.
The Baker Hughes rig counts, first issued in 1944, act as an important business barometer for drilling firms and their suppliers to gauge the overall business environment of the oil and gas industry.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 as a result of the oil boom. It plummeted to a record low of 488 in 1999.
Source:Xinhua Weekly review
