US rig count up 13 to 1,831

HOUSTON (AP) -- Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by 13 this week to 1,831.

The Houston firm said in its weekly report Friday that 1,517 rigs were exploring for oil and 310 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,771 active rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana gained nine rigs, Texas increased by seven, California gained three and New Mexico increased by one.

Ohio lost four and Alaska, Arkansas and Oklahoma fell one apiece.

Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming were unchanged.

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