US rig count rises by 3 this week to 1,754

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 three this week to 1,754.

The Houston firm said in its weekly report Friday that 1,393 rigs were exploring for oil and 357 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,761 active rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma gained 14 rigs, New Mexico, Utah and West Virginia were up two, while Kansas and Wyoming rose one apiece.

Texas lost seven, Colorado and North Dakota each were down six, Louisiana dropped by two, and Alaska and Pennsylvania were off one. Arkansas, California and Ohio were unchanged.

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