The number of active oil and natural gas rigs in the United States decreased 0.3% from last week’s sixteen-month high of 1,809 to 1,803 for the week ending March 21, 2014.  The count is still some 3.3% above the year-ago level of 1,746.

The highest weekly rig count in the United States since 1940 was recorded on December 28, 1981, at 4,530; the lowest was recorded on April 23, 1999, at 488.

The number of rigs in Canada fell for the fourth consecutive week, dropping 25.5% from 522 last week to 389 this week, which is an eleven-week low.  Despite the fall, the count is some 15.4% above the year-ago level of 337.

The highest rig count for Canada was 727 on February 3, 2006; the lowest was 29, recorded on April 24, 1992.

Source: Baker Hughes Inc.