US rig count decreases by 6 this week to 940

The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. decreased by six this week to 940.

A year ago, just 489 rigs were active.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes said Friday that 759 rigs sought oil and 180 explored for natural gas this week. One was listed as miscellaneous.

Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana, North Dakota and Ohio each added one rig.

Pennsylvania and Texas each lost three rigs. Alaska, Oklahoma and Utah were down by one apiece.

Arkansas, California, Colorado, New Mexico, West Virginia and Wyoming were all unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May of 2016 at 404.