Despite some regional adjustments, including declines in the Permian Basin, the U.S. rig count went unchanged overall for the week ended Friday (Dec. 2), according to the latest tally from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rigs

Both oil- and natural gas-directed drilling totals in the United States were flat for the period. Land drilling declined by one rig overall, while one rig was added in the Gulf of Mexico. Horizontal units declined by three, offset by gains of two vertical rigs and one directional rig.

The combined 784 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 569 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

The Canadian rig count, meanwhile, climbed one unit overall to end the period at 195, versus 180 in the year-earlier period. Changes there included a gain of two natural gas-directed rigs, partially offset by a one-rig decline in oil drilling.

Counting by major basin, the Permian posted a two-rig decline for the week to see its total fall to 350, versus 283 a year ago. The Cana Woodford and Arkoma Woodford each added a rig to their respective totals, while one rig exited in the Ardmore Woodford, the BKR data show.

In the state-by-state count, Louisiana and Oklahoma added one rig a piece, while Texas and New Mexico each posted one-rig declines week/week.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), domestic crude oil production for the week ended Nov. 25 held at 12.1 million b/d – on par with the previous week and the level maintained throughout November.

Output over the month was just 100,000 b/d shy of the 2022 high reached last summer, data from EIA’s latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report showed. But with Brent prices notably below summer highs around $120 and demand relatively soft through the fall, producers have had little in the way of market-driven motivation to accelerate activity.

Overall consumption of petroleum products decreased 1% week/week. Demand had dropped by a similar amount in the week ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, according to EIA.