More than half of U.S. oil rigs are in the Permian Basin in West Texas and eastern New Mexico where total units this week jumped by nine to 332, the most since April 2020.
In its latest report, Baker Hughes said U.S. energy firms added oil and natural gas rigs for a second week in a row but growth in the rig count remains slow.
Even though the U.S. oil rig count has climbed for 19 months in a row, the increases have been small and have slowed down in March
U.S. oil rigs fell three to 524 this week, while gas rigs rose two to 137—their highest since October 2019, Baker Hughes said.
In its latest report, Baker Hughes said the total count of oil and natural gas rigs in the U.S. is up 261 rigs, or 65%, over this time last year.
U.S. oil rigs fell three to 519 in the week to March 4, their first weekly decline since January, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co. reported.
U.S. energy firms this week added oil and natural gas rigs for an eighth week in a row, which Baker Hughes said puts the total rig count up 248 rigs, or 62%, over this time last year.
The oil and gas rig count rose 10 to 645 in the week to Feb. 18, its highest since April 2020, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co. reported.
U.S. oil rigs rose by 22 to total 635 this week, its biggest hike since February 2018.
Even though the rig count has climbed for a record 18 months in a row, the weekly increases have mostly been in single digits and oil production is still far from pre-pandemic record levels.