HOUSTON — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by 13 this week to 489, a near record low.
The Houston company said Friday that 392 rigs sought oil and 97 explored for natural gas amid depressed energy prices. A year ago, 1,192 rigs were active.
Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas declined by four rigs, North Dakota and Oklahoma dropped by three, Colorado declined by two, and Louisiana, New Mexico and West Virginia each lost a rig.
Alaska gained a rig.
Arkansas, California, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wyoming all were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
