Rig Count Increases

HOUSTON (AP) — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by two this week to 1,763.

The Houston-based company said in its weekly report Wednesday that 1,391 rigs were exploring for oil and 367 for gas. Five were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,811 rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma and Texas each gained three rigs, Kansas and Louisiana gained two each and North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wyoming one apiece.

West Virginia, meanwhile, lost three rigs, California lost two and Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah lost one apiece. Arkansas' count was unchanged.

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