The number of operating oil and gas drilling rigs in the world fell to a minimum of 3.5 years (since July 2016) in April, data from the American oil service company Baker Hughes show.
On average, 1,514 drilling rigs worked in the world in April against 1,964 in March. At the same time, the April level is 626 less than the figure for the same month last year.
In the USA, the number of drilling rigs decreased by 206 in April compared to the previous month – 566. This is the lowest level since October 2016.
In Canada, the indicator collapsed immediately by 100 – up to 33 drilling rigs. This is the lowest level since April 1992, when a historic minimum of 32 drilling rigs was recorded.
The number of drilling rigs in the Asia-Pacific region decreased by 40 in April (to 191, a minimum since September 2017), in the Middle East – by 8 (to 420), in Africa – by 5 (up to 103 units, the lowest level since November 2018), in Europe – by 11 (to 112, a minimum for a year), and in Latin America – by 80 (to a historical minimum of 89).
Baker Hughes has been publishing data on operating rigs since 1944. The average monthly number of operating oil and gas drilling rigs in the world in 2019 decreased after growth for two consecutive years and amounted to 2,177.
