The number of active oil and natural gas rigs in the United States fell by 4 to 1,757 for the week ending March 1, 2013 – down 0.2% from last week and 11.7% from last year but still up 0.5% from the nearly 2-year low on January 18.

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 1.1% this week, after 8 consecutive weekly increases, coming in at 655 from 662 last week and down 3.8% from last year.

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.