US rig count down 1 this week to 568; Texas gains 6

The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. decreased by one this week to 568.

A year ago, 767 rigs were active. Depressed energy prices have sharply curtailed oil and gas exploration.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 452 rigs sought oil and 115 explored for natural gas this week. One was listed as miscellaneous.

Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained six rigs and Ohio was up by one.

Alaska and North Dakota each declined by two. New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Utah each lost one.

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, West Virginia and Wyoming were unchanged.

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