Baker Hughes: US Rig Count Remains Steady

U.S. energy firms this week kept the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating unchanged for a record third week in a row, according to energy services firm Baker Hughes' data going back to 1987.

The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, was steady at 585 in the week to Nov. 8, Baker Hughes said on Friday. Baker Hughes said that puts the total rig count down 31 rigs, or 5% below this time last year. Baker Hughes said oil rigs held at 479 this week, while gas rigs were unchanged at 102.

The oil and gas rig count dropped about 20% in 2023 after rising by 33% in 2022 and 67% in 2021, due to a decline in oil and gas prices, higher labor and equipment costs from soaring inflation and as companies focused on paying down debt and boosting shareholder returns instead of raising output.

U.S. oil futures CLc1 were down about 2% so far in 2024 after dropping by 11% in 2023, while U.S. gas futures NGc1 were up about 6% so far in 2024 after plunging by 44% in 2023.

U.S. crude output was on track to rise from a record 12.9 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2023 to 13.2 million bpd in 2024 and 13.5 million bpd in 2025, according to the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) outlook.

On the gas side, several producers reduced spending on drilling activities earlier in the year after monthly average spot prices at the U.S. Henry Hub NG-W-HH-SNL benchmark in Louisiana plunged to a 32-year low in March.

That should cause U.S. gas output to slide to 103.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2024, down from a record high of 103.8 bcfd in 2023, according to the EIA.