(AP) The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in Wyoming decreased by one last week, while the U.S. total increased by six to 1,771.

Houston-based  oil field services company Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday in its weekly report that, nationwide, 1,413 rigs were exploring for oil and 353 for gas. Five were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,971 active rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana gained three rigs, Texas and Colorado picked up two and California one. West Virginia dropped two rigs while Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming each dropped one. The count for Arkansas, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania was unchanged from the previous week.

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

 

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