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Baker Hughes Announces August 2012 Rig Counts

HOUSTON, Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) announced today that the international rig count for August 2012 was 1,261, down 3 from the 1,264 counted in July 2012, and up 78 from the 1,183 counted in August 2011. The international offshore rig count for August 2012 was 300, up 14 from the 286 counted in July 2012 and down 18 from the 318 counted in August 2011.

The average U.S. rig count for August 2012 was 1,913, down 32 from the 1,945 counted in July 2012 and down 45 from the 1,958 counted in August 2011. The average Canadian rig count for August 2012 was 316, up 9 from the 307 counted in July 2012 and down 157 from the 473 counted in August 2011.

The worldwide rig count for August 2012 was 3,490, down 26 from the 3,516 counted in July 2012 and down 124 from the 3,614 counted in August 2011.

August 2012 Rotary Rig Counts

		August 2012			Month	July 2012			August 2011
		Land	OS	Total	Variance	Land	OS	Total	Land	OS	Total

	Europe	71	47	118	8	72	38	110	74	54	128
	Middle East*	341	47	388	-13	352	49	401	250	37	287
	Africa	80	31	111	6	80	25	105	48	27	75
	Latin America	337	80	417	2	337	78	415	345	96	441
	Asia Pacific	132	95	227	-6	137	96	233	148	104	252
International		961	300	1,261	-3	978	286	1,264	865	318	1,183

	United States	1,863	50	1,913	-32	1,894	51	1,945	1,923	35	1,958
	Canada	315	1	316	9	304	3	307	471	2	473
North America		2,178	51	2,229	-23	2,198	54	2,252	2,394	37	2,431

Worldwide		3,139	351	3,490	-26	3,176	340	3,516	3,259	355	3,614

*	Middle East rig count for August 2011 does not include Iraq

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. Baker 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.

Baker Hughes is a leading supplier of oilfield services, products, technology and systems to the worldwide oil and natural gas industry. The company's 58,000-plus employees today work in more than 80 countries helping customers find, evaluate, drill, produce, transport and process hydrocarbon resources. For more information on Baker Hughes' century-long history, visit www.bakerhughes.com.

CONTACTS:
Media Relations:	Teresa Wong, +1.713.439.8110, teresa.wong@bakerhughes.com
	Pam Easton, +1.713.439.8391, pamela.easton@bakerhughes.com
Investor Relations:	Trey Clark, +1.713.439.8039, trey.clark@bakerhughes.com
	Eric Holcomb, +1.713.439.8822, eric.s.holcomb@bakerhughes.com