The Middle Eastern rig count and activity levels have boomed heading into summer, with significant increases in land and offshore drilling activity, according to numbers released by Baker Hughes.
The total regional count, up a staggering 20.5% in the period May – June 2012, is being driven, to the tune of 96%, by the addition of counting land rig utilization in Iraq for the first time in 22 years.
Baker Hughes confirmed in numbers released last week, that the international rig count for June 2012 was 1,285 rigs. The June international rig count includes the addition of 79 rigs in Iraq. This is the first time Baker Hughes has included Iraq in its international rig count since 1990.
The June rig count of 1,285 rigs was up 60 from the 1,225 counted in May 2012, and up 127 from the 1,158 counted in June 2011. The international offshore rig count for June 2012 was 305 rigs, down 14 from the 319 counted in May 2012, and up 7 from the 298 counted in June 2011.
The May 2012 and June 2011 rig counts do not include Iraq.
The June 2012 rig count also reflects changes for five countries including Indonesia, Colombia, Venezuela, Algeria, and offshore China.
In the Middle East, June 2011 to June 2012 comparisons show a massive overall increase, largely explained by the Iraqi rotary rig data inclusion. This year exactly 100 more land rigs are in operation, with 349 in total compared to 249 in June last year.
The regional figures show an increase of 20% in offshore drilling rigs active, which equates to 51 this year over 41 in 2011.
The average U.S. rig count for June 2012 was 1,972 rigs, down 5 from the 1,977 counted in May 2012 and up 109 from the 1,863 counted in June 2011. The average Canadian rig count for June 2012 was 227 rigs, up 94 from the 133 counted in May 2012 and down 9 from the 236 counted in June 2011.
The worldwide rig count for June 2012 was 3,484 rigs, up 149 from the 3,335 counted in May 2012 and up 227 from the 3,257 counted in June 2011.
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