The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by 16 this week to 1,898.
Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,408 rigs were exploring for oil and 486 were searching for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes listed 1,975 rigs.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Alaska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming each gained one.
Texas lost seven rigs, California was down by six, Colorado and Pennsylvania each dropped two and West Virginia dropped by one.
Arkansas, Louisiana and North Dakota were unchanged.
The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
