US rig count drops by 48 in latest week to 1,310; Texas down 22

Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. fell by 48 this week to 1,310 amid depressed oil prices.

The Houston firm said Friday in its weekly report 1,019 rigs were exploring for oil and 289 for gas. Two were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago 1,771 rigs were active.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas' count fell by 22, Oklahoma lost 16, North Dakota and Wyoming each lost four, Alaska lost three, Colorado lost two and California and Utah each lost one.

New Mexico gained six rigs while Louisiana gained one.

Arkansas, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were unchanged.

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