The number of active oil and natural gas rigs in the United States remained at 1,864 for the week ending September 14, 2012 and was 6.1% below the year-ago level – remaining at the lowest levels since June 2011.

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 increased this week by 2.6% to 354 compared with 345 last week but was down 29.5% from the year-ago level.

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.