North American Rotary Rig Counts

The U.S. rotary rig count from Baker Hughes was down 4 at 983 for the week of May 24, 2019. It is 76 rigs (7.2%) lower than last year.

The number of rotary rigs drilling for oil is down 5 to 797. There are 62 fewer rigs targeting oil than last year. Rigs drilling for oil are 81.1 percent of all drilling activity. 

Rigs targeting natural gas were up 1 at 186. The number of rigs drilling for gas is 12 lower than last year.

Year-over-year oil exploration in the U.S. is down 7.2 percent. Gas exploration is down 6.1 percent. The weekly average of crude oil spot price is 13.5 percent lower than last year and natural gas spot prices are 8.2 percent lower than last year. Daily crude oil and natural gas futures and spot prices are available on our site.

Canadian rig activity was up 15 at 78 for the week of May 24, 2019 and is 3 (3.7%) lower than last year. Rigs targeting oil were up 16 at 38 and are 3 (8.6%) lower than last year. Gas directed rig count at 40 was down 1 and is 64 rigs (13.0%) lower than last year. Canadian drilling falls rapidly in the spring to avoid environmental damage moving drilling equipment during the spring thaw and rainy season. With large weather related seasonal swings, even year-over-year comparisons can lead to incorrect conclusions. Also, Canadians take their holidays more serious than their counterparts in the U.S. and rig count drops.

North American Rig Count				Change		Percent Change
	05/24/2019	05/17/2019	05/25/2018	Weekly	Annual	Weekly	Annual
Total U.S.	983	987	1,059	(4)	(76)	-0.4%	-7.2%
Offshore	22	22	19	0	3	0.0%	15.8%
Land	961	965	1,040	(4)	(79)	-0.4%	-7.6%
Inland Waters	4	4	4	0	0	0.0%	0.0%
Oil	797	802	859	(5)	(62)	-0.6%	-7.2%
Percent	81.1%	81.3%	81.1%	-0.2%	-0.0%
Gas	186	185	198	1	(12)	0.5%	-6.1%
Percent	18.9%	18.7%	18.7%	0.2%	0.2%
Directional	69	73	67	-4	2	-5.5%	3.0%
Horizontal	863	866	926	-3	-63	-0.3%	-6.8%
Vertical	51	48	66	3	-15	6.3%	-22.7%
Gulf of Mexico	22	22	18	0	4	0.0%	22.2%
Gulf Oil	19	19	15	0	4	0.0%	26.7%
Percent	86.4%	86.4%	83.3%	0.0%	3.0%
Gulf Gas	3	3	3	0	0	0.0%	0.0%
Percent	13.6%	13.6%	16.7%	0.0%	-3.0%
Canada	78	63	81	15	(3)	23.8%	-3.7%
Oil	38	22	35	16	3	72.7%	8.6%
Percent	48.7%	34.9%	43.2%	13.8%	5.5%
Gas	40	41	46	(1)	(6)	-2.4%	-13.0%
Percent	51.3%	65.1%	56.8%	-13.8%	-5.5%
North America	1,061	1,050	1,140	11	(79)	1.0%	-6.9%
Prices
Oil $/bbl.	$61.38	$62.11	$70.99	($0.73)	($9.61)	-1.2%	-13.5%
Oil $/mmbtu	$10.58	$10.71	$12.24	($0.13)	($1.66)	-1.2%	-13.5%
Gas $/mmbtu	$2.60	$2.63	$2.83	($0.03)	($0.23)	-1.1%	-8.2%

Monthly: International Rig Counts

International rig count, which excludes the US and Canada, is up 12 to 1,039 for the month of March 2019 and is 67 rigs (6.9%) higher than last year's 972 rigs.

The number of rotary rigs targeting oil in March was 824 up 7 from February and is 71 (9.4%) higher than last year. International gas rigs were up 2 for the month at 187 and are 1 higher than last year. Miscellaneous or unclassified rigs at 28 are up 3 for the month and are 5 lower than last year.

International Rig Count					Monthly		Annual
		Mar-2019	Feb-2019	Mar-2018	Change	Percent	Change	Percent
Total	Oil	824	817	753	7	0.9%	71	9.4%
	Gas	187	185	186	2	1.1%	1	0.5%
	Misc	28	25	33	3	12.0%	-5	-15.2%
	Total	1039	1027	972	12	1.2%	67	6.9%
Europe	Oil	65	64	55	1	1.6%	10	18.2%
	Gas	18	19	16	-1	-5.3%	2	12.5%
	Mis	12	11	18	1	9.1%	-6	-33.3%
	Total	95	94	89	1	1.1%	6	6.7%
Middle East	Oil	309	317	301	-8	-2.5%	8	2.7%
	Gas	86	81	96	5	6.2%	-10	-10.4%
	Mis	0	0	0	0	N.A.	0	N.A.
	Total	395	398	397	-3	-0.8%	-2	-0.5%
Africa	Oil	104	91	67	13	14.3%	37	55.2%
	Gas	14	14	15	0	0.0%	-1	-6.7%
	Mis	9	8	7	1	12.5%	2	28.6%
	Total	127	113	89	14	12.4%	38	42.7%
Latin America	Oil	166	162	175	4	2.5%	-9	-5.1%
	Gas	22	20	18	2	10.0%	4	22.2%
	Mis	0	0	0	0	N.A.	0	N.A.
	Total	188	182	193	6	3.3%	-5	-2.6%
Asia Pacific	Oil	180	183	155	-3	-1.6%	25	16.1%
	Gas	47	51	41	-4	-7.8%	6	14.6%
	Mis	7	6	8	1	16.7%	-1	-12.5%
	Total	234	240	204	-6	-2.5%	30	14.7%

The Rig Count page will be updated as the data becomes available. US rotary and Canadian rig counts are updated weekly.  International, world and workover rig counts are updated mid month.  The oil price shown in all long term graphs and all but the short term graph of US and Canadian rotary rig counts is US average wellhead price. The price in the short term US and Canadian rotary rig count graphs is WTI spot.