Total U.S. rigs up by 6 – total is 929
U.S. drilling activity rose again this week, the fourth straight week of increases, according to the latest edition of Baker Hughes Rig Count.
Six rigs began activity this week, meaning there now 929 drilling rigs active in the U.S. The number of land rigs increased by eight, for a total of 908 rigs. Two offshore rigs shut down while inland waters were unchanged.
Most new rigs target gas this week, as four gas-targeting rigs came online. Two oil rigs also began activity, meaning there are now 749 oil rigs and 180 gas rigs active in the U.S.
All new rigs are horizontals, directional and vertical rig counts are unchanged. Horizontals continue to dominate modern U.S. activity, and now make up 85.3% of operations. Directional rigs account for 7.6%, while vertical rigs have the remaining 7.1%.
Activity continues to concentrate in Texas, where four rigs came online. One rig also came online in Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota and Utah, while one shut down in Colorado and Louisiana. The Kansas rig is the first activity the state has seen since October, when a rig was active for two weeks, and is only the second drilling rig seen in Kansas in 2017.
It’s a horse race: Haynesville gallops past Marcellus
Rigs in the Haynesville now outnumber the Marcellus, as the Haynesville currently has 43 while the Marcellus has 42. This is a rare occurrence, and has only happened one other time since late 2011. While overshadowed by the Permian, the Haynesville has been growing gradually with 2017’s shale resurgence.
Activity in the play has more than tripled since bottoming out in mid-2016, and production is rising. The Haynesville is now the third-largest shale gas basin in the U.S., behind only the Marcellus and Permian.
Permian adds 4
The most popular basin in the U.S. continues to grow, as the Permian added four rigs this week. The play now has 397 rigs, or 43% of the total rigs active in the U.S. Three rigs came online in the Haynesville, while one became active in the Mississippian and Williston. One shut down in the Barnett, Cana Woodford and DJ-Niobrara.
