HOUSTON (AP) -- Oilfield services company Baker Hughes (NYSE: BHI) says the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. remains unchanged this week, at 1,769.
The Houston-based company said Friday in its weekly report that 1,408 rigs were exploring for oil and another 354 for gas. Seven were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,986 active rigs.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, North Dakota and Wyoming each gained three rigs, and Alaska gained one.
Oklahoma lost three rigs, New Mexico and Pennsylvania each lost two, and Colorado and Texas each lost one. Arkansas, California, Louisiana, and West Virginia were unchanged.
The overall U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
