March 2016 rig counts released, numbers down across globe

oil prices
Baker Hughes reports the rig count in both Canada and the United States took a significant drop last week. Suncor photo.

HOUSTON- Baker Hughes announced today that the international rig count for March 2016 was 985, down 33 from the 1,018 counted in Feb. 2016, and down 266 from the 1,251 counted in March 2015.

The international offshore rig count for March 2016 was 211, down 14 from the 225 counted in Feb. 2016, and down 105 from the 316 counted in March 2015.

The average U.S. rig count for March 2016 was 478, down 54 from the 532 counted in Feb. 2016, and down 632 from the 1,110 counted in March 2015.

The average Canadian rig count for March 2016 was 88, down 123 from the 211 counted in Feb. 2016, and down 108 from the 196 counted in March 2015.

The worldwide rig count for March 2016 was 1,551, down 210 from the 1,761 counted in Feb. 2016, and down 1,006 from the 2,557 counted in March 2015.

March 2016 Rotary Rig Counts

March 2016 February 2016 March 2015
Land Offshore Total Month Variance Land Offshore Total Land Offshore Total
Latin America 178 40 218 -19 187 50 237 284 67 351
Europe 58 38 96 -11 71 36 107 80 55 135
Africa 71 20 91 3 68 20 88 85 40 125
Middle East 354 43 397 -7 354 50 404 355 52 407
Asia Pacific 113 70 183 1 113 69 182 131 102 233
International 774 211 985 -33 793 225 1,018 935 316 1,251
United States 451 27 478 -54 506 26 532 1,067 43 1,110
Canada 85 3 88 -123 208 3 211 193 3 196
North America 536 30 566 -177 714 29 743 1,260 46 1,306
Worldwide 1,310 241 1,551 -210 1,507 254 1,761 2,195 362 2,557

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 U.S., Canada and international markets.