Baker Hughes reported rig counts in the U.S. as of November 18, 2016 was up 20 from the prior week to 588, but down from 757 rigs or 169 from the end of the same period in 2015.

Canadian rig counts were up from 166 a year ago to 184 at November 18, 2016. The international rig count of 920 for October was down 191 from 1,111 in October 2015.

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 U.S. and Canadian drilling activity. Hughes initiated the monthly international rig count in 1975. The North American rig count is released weekly at noon central time on the last day of the work week. The international rig count is released on the fifth working day of each month.