Baker Hughes Announces March 2010 Rig Counts

HOUSTON, April 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) announced today that the international rig count for March 2010 was 1,074, up 6 from the 1,068 counted in February 2010, and up 62 from the 1,012 counted in March 2009.  The international offshore rig count for March 2010 was 295, down 6 from the 301 counted in February 2010 and up 14 from the 281 counted in March 2009.  

The US rig count for March 2010 was 1,419, up 69 from the 1,350 counted in February 2010 and up 314 from the 1,105 counted in March 2009.  The Canadian rig count for March 2010 was 386, down 178 from the 564 counted in February 2010 and up 190 from the 196 counted in March 2009.

The worldwide rig count for March 2010 was 2,879, down 103 from the 2,982 counted in February 2010 and up 566 from the 2,313 counted in March 2009.

March 2010 Rotary Rig Counts

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.

SOURCE Baker Hughes Incorporated