OREANDA-NEWS. Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE:BHI) announced today that the international rig count for December 2015 was 1,095, down 14 from the 1,109 counted in November 2015, and down 218 from the 1,313 counted in December 2014. The international offshore rig count for December 2015 was 250, down 9 from the 259 counted in November 2015, and down 88 from the 338 counted in December 2014.

The average U.S. rig count for December 2015 was 714, down 46 from the 760 counted in November 2015, and down 1,168 from the 1,882 counted in December 2014. The average Canadian rig count for December 2015 was 160, down 18 from the 178 counted in November 2015, and down 215 from the 375 counted in December 2014.

The worldwide rig count for December 2015 was 1,969, down 78 from the 2,047 counted in November 2015, and down 1,601 from the 3,570 counted in December 2014.

December 2015 Rotary Rig Counts

   

December

2015

      

November

2015

    

December

2014

    
   

Land

Offshore

Total

  

Month Variance

  

Land

Offshore

Total

    

Land

Offshore

Total

    
                                   

Latin America

  

213

57

270

  

-14

  

232

52

284

    

287

82

369

    

Europe

  

79

35

114

  

6

  

71

37

108

    

97

51

148

    

Africa

  

64

27

91

  

1

  

64

26

90

    

91

47

138

    

Middle East

  

367

55

422

  

3

  

360

59

419

    

358

45

403

    

Asia Pacific

  

122

76

198

  

-10

  

123

85

208

    

142

113

255

    

International

  

845

250

1,095

  

-14

  

850

259

1,109

    

975

338

1,313

    
                                   

United States

  

690

24

714

  

-46

  

729

31

760

    

1,823

59

1,882

    

Canada

  

160

0

160

  

-18

  

178

0

178

    

373

2

375

    

North America

  

850

24

874

  

-64

  

907

31

938

    

2,196

61

2,257

    
                                   

Worldwide

  

1,695

274

1,969

  

-78

  

1,757

290

2,047

    

3,171

399

3,570

    
                                   
                                   

The Baker Hughes Rotary Rig Counts are counts of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the U.S., Canada and international markets. Baker Hughes has issued the rotary rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of the U.S. and Canadian drilling activity. Baker Hughes initiated the monthly international rig count in 1975.

The North American rig count is scheduled to be released at noon Central time on the last working day of each week. The international rig count is scheduled to be released on the fifth working day of the month at 5:00 a.m. Central time.