HOUSTON, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI; EBS) announced today that the international rig count for December 2007 was 1,036, up 44 from the 992 counted in November 2007, and up 85 from the 951 counted in December 2006. The international offshore rig count for December 2007 was 291, up 19 from the 272 counted in November 2007 and up 1 from the 271 counted in December 2006.
The international rig count for December 2007 reflects a 30 rig increase in Latin America, primarily due to recovery from weather delays in Mexico, the end of strikes in Argentina, and the addition of four offshore rigs in Brazil.
The US rig count for December 2007 was 1811, up 13 from the 1798 counted in November 2007 and up 93 from the 1718 counted in December 2006. The Canadian rig count for December 2007 was 360, down 11 from the 371 counted in November 2007 and down 96 from the 456 counted in December 2006.
The worldwide rig count for December 2007 was 3207, up 46 from the 3161 counted in November 2007 and up 82 from the 3125 counted in December 2006.
December 2007 Rotary Rig Counts December 2007 November 2007 December 2006 Land OS Total Var. Land OS Total Land OS Total Europe 31 46 77 6 34 37 71 26 39 65 Middle East 235 39 274 9 235 30 265 226 29 255 Africa 58 16 74 5 51 18 69 47 20 67 Latin America 294 76 370 30 271 69 340 260 69 329 Asia Pacific 127 114 241 (6) 129 118 247 121 114 235 International 745 291 1036 44 720 272 992 680 271 951 United States 1749 62 1811 13 1737 61 1798 1634 84 1718 Canada 358 2 360 (11) 369 3 371 452 4 456 North America 2107 64 2171 2 2106 64 2169 2086 88 2174 Worldwide 2852 355 3207 46 2826 336 3161 2766 359 3125 About the Baker Hughes Rig Counts
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 United States, 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 US and Canadian drilling activity. Hughes initiated the monthly international rig count in 1975.
North American rig count data 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 5th working day of the month. Additional detailed information on the Baker Hughes rig counts is available from our website at http://www.bakerhughes.com/investor/rig.
Baker Hughes is a leading provider of drilling, formation evaluation, completion and production products and services to the worldwide oil and gas industry.
Contacts: Gary R. Flaharty (713) 439-8039 H. Gene Shiels (713) 439-8822
