HOUSTON, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) announced today that the international rig count for October 2009 was 983, down 3 from the 986 counted in September 2009, and down 113 from the 1,096 counted in October 2008. The international offshore rig count for October 2009 was 267, down 8 from the 275 counted in September 2009 and down 17 from the 284 counted in October 2008.

The US rig count for October 2009 was 1,044, up 35 from the 1,009 counted in September 2009 and down 932 from the 1,976 counted in October 2008. The Canadian rig count for October 2009 was 244, up 36 from the 208 counted in September 2009 and down 202 from the 446 counted in October 2008.

The worldwide rig count for October 2009 was 2,271, up 68 from the 2,203 counted in September 2009 and down 1,247 from the 3,518 counted in October 2008.

October 2009 Rotary Rig Counts

                       October 2009           September 2009    October 2008
                     Land   OS   Total   Var. Land  OS   Total Land   OS Total
                     ----   --  -----  ----  ----   --  -----  ----   -- -----

      Europe           43   41    84      1    38   45     83    53   48   101
      Middle East     205   34   239     (6)  213   32    245   253   35   288
      Africa           47   15    62      5    42   15     57    48   12    60
      Latin America   282   69   351     (4)  281   74    355   325   78   403
      Asia Pacific    139  108   247      1   137  109    246   133  111   244
                      ---  ---   ---          ---  ---    ---   ---  ---   ---
    International     716  267   983     (3)  711  275    986   812  284  1096

      United States  1011   33  1044     35   976   33   1009  1903   73  1976
      Canada          243    1   244     36   206    2    208   444    2   446
                      ---  ---   ---          ---  ---    ---   ---  ---   ---
    North America    1254   34  1288     59  1182   35   1217  2347   75  2422
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Worldwide        1970  301  2271     68  1893  310   2203  3159  359  3518

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 provides reservoir consulting, 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

SOURCE Baker Hughes Incorporated

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.bakerhughes.com