Oklahoma's rig count gain highest among big producers

Oklahoma showed the highest rig count gain in major producing states, to 106 from 99, for the week ending Friday.

Texas reported the biggest drop in production, falling 8 percent to 277 from 299.

The total U.S. active rig count for the week dropped by 22 to 790 from 812 the previous week, according to Baker Hughes, Inc. of Houston. This was the first time the U.S. count fell below 800 rigs since the last week of July. Among the major producing states, New Mexico showed the second biggest decline, behind Texas, with a drop of five rigs to 26. Kansas was down three rigs, from 26 to 23. Other major producing states reported minimal gains from the previous week: * Louisiana -- 120, up one. * California -- 30, up one. * Wyoming -- 35, up two. * North Dakota -- 23, up one. Five states' rig counts remained unchanged: * Colorado -- 12. * Michigan -- two. * Pennsylvania -- 12. * Ohio -- nine. A widely watched index of domestic drilling activity, the rig count represents the number of rigs actively exploring for -- not producing -- oil and natural gas. Baker Hughes has kept track of the count since 1940. For the week ending Friday, active offshore rigs fell six to 105. Natural gas rigs exploring for the week fell one to 492. That was 77 rigs or 18 percent higher compared with the same week in 1995. The number of rigs exploring for oil rose to 293, up five from last week. Directional rigs active totaled 172, down one from the previous week but up 20 from the same week last year. The number of horizontal rigs dropped two, down to 64 from last week, but 20 percent higher than in 1995. The Canadian rig count for the week totaled 260, down 33 rigs from the previous week. The count was up 44 rigs from 1995.

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