The number of rigs working onshore in the Lower 48 U.S. states last week fell for the sixth consecutive week, according to data compliled by oilfield services firm Baker Hughes, a GE company.
For the week ended May 17, 954 rigs were working in the Lower 48, down a lone rig from the previous week, but down 63 rigs, or 6.2%, from the year-ago total of 1,017.
The 954-rig total was up 86 rigs, or 9.9%, from the 868 rigs working during the week ended May 19, 2017, and was up a whopping 583 rigs, or 157.1%, from the 371 rigs working the week of May 20, 2016, Kallanish Energy calculates.
Over the last six weeks ending May 17, the total count is down 38 rigs from the six previous weeks.
Working-rig count drops for sixth straight week
| Week ended | Rig count | Change from previous week |
| May 17 | 954 | (1) |
| May 10 | 955 | (2) |
| May 3 | 957 | (3) |
| April 26 | 960 | (19) |
| April 19 | 979 | (9) |
(Source: Baker Hughes, a GE company)
Examining individual drilling areas, six areas reported a week-to-week drop in working rigs, seven recorded an increase in rigs working, and 14 areas reported no week-to-week change.
The biggest week-to-week increase in working rigs was in Ohio, up four rigs to 20. Wyoming added three rigs, climbing to 33 working rigs. The biggest week-to-week drop in working rigs was in Pennsylvania, down three rigs, to 40.
Texas, by far the home of the most rigs working, recorded a two-rig drop last week, falling to 480, Baker Hughes reported.
This post appeared first on Kallanish Energy News.