Oklahoma rig count is soaring

Drilling activity surged this week in central and northwestern Oklahoma.

The Cana Woodford basin — home to Oklahoma's STACK and SCOOP fields — gained nine drilling rigs this week, boosting the count in the area to 70, up from 55 one year ago, according to Baker Hughes.

With the increase, the Cana Woodford remained the country's third most active oil and natural gas field. The Permian in southeast New Mexico and west Texas slipped by one rig to 452. The south Texas Eagle Ford dropped one rig to 75.

Southeastern Oklahoma's Arkoma Woodford increased by one rig to nine, and southern Oklahoma's Ardmore Woodford doubled to two rigs.

Statewide, the rig count increased by six to 133, up from 127 one year ago. The jump marked the largest weekly increase in Oklahoma since November 2017.

Overall, the country added eight rigs this week to 1,021, up 17 percent from 870 one year ago. The number of rigs searching for oil increased by five to 825, while the number of natural gas wells added three to 195. One rig was listed as "miscellaneous."

Texas added four rigs this week, followed by three in North Dakota, two each in Louisiana and Ohio and one in California. Colorado, Kansas and Pennsylvania each gave back one rig, Wyoming dropped one and Alaska's count declined by three.

The Oklahoma and national rig count increased this week as oil prices slipped slightly. Domestic benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude dipped 9 cents Friday to close at $68.19 a barrel, down 28 cents for the week.