U.S. drilling activity continued to slowlast week as the number of active rotary rigs fell by 38 to a
total of 801, against 1,248 working rigs one year ago, Hughes
Tool Co said.
    Most of the decrease came among rigs used for onshore
drilling, which dropped to a total of 707 from last week's 744.
A total of 77 rigs were active offshore and 17 in inland waters
during the week, Hughes Tool said.
    Among individual states, Texas lost 24 working rigs,
Michigan dropped by six, and California, New mexico and Kansas
were each down by one. Colorado reported a gain of eight rigs
and Louisiana was up by four.
    In Canada, the rig count was up 14 to 164, against 422 one
year ago.
 Reuter
