US rig count declines by 14 this week to 795
HOUSTON (AP) - Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. this week declined by 14 to 795.
It was the sixth consecutive week of declines.
Houston's Baker Hughes said Friday that 605 rigs were seeking oil and 189 explored for natural gas. One was listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, with oil prices about double the prices now, 1,930 rigs were active.
Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma lost six rigs, Texas declined by four and Kansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, Ohio and Pennsylvania each dropped by one.
Colorado gained one rig.
Alaska, Arkansas, California, New Mexico, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.