US rig count declines by 17 to 1,914

[August 18, 2012]  HOUSTON (AP) -- The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by 17 this week to 1,914.

Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,425 rigs were exploring for oil and 484 were searching for gas. Five were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes listed 1,974 rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming each gained two rigs and West Virginia was up one.

Texas declined by nine rigs, North Dakota was down six and Pennsylvania four. Arkansas, California and Louisiana each dropped by one.

Alaska and Oklahoma were unchanged.

The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.

[Associated Press]

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