HOUSTON (AP) -- Oilfield services company Baker Hughes (BHI +0.00%) says the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by three this week to 1,762.
The Houston-based company said in its weekly report Friday that 1,337 rigs were actively exploring for oil and 421 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes counted 1,994 working rigs.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states Texas gained 14 rigs and Wyoming one. Pennsylvania declined by five rigs. Oklahoma lost two, and Arkansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, and West Virginia were down one each. Alaska, Colorado, California, and New Mexico were unchanged.
The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
