US rig count up 30 to 1,861

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 30 this week to 1,861.

The Houston firm said in its weekly report Friday that 1,534 rigs were exploring for oil and 323 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,754 active rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained 10 rigs, Oklahoma increased by five, West Virginia gained four, Kansas gained three, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico and Pennsylvania each increased by two and California, North Dakota and Wyoming each gained one.

Ohio lost one rig, while Alaska, Arkansas, and Utah were unchanged.

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