Baker Hughes Announces February 2012 Rig Counts

07.03.2012  |  PR Newswire

HOUSTON, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Hughes Incorporated

The US rig count for February 2012 was 1,981, down 27 from the 2,008 counted in January 2012 and up 282 from the 1,699 counted in February 2011. The Canadian rig count for February 2012 was 701, down 19 from the 682 counted in January 2012 and up 78 from the 623 counted in February 2011.

The worldwide rig count for February 2012 was 3,886 up 25 from the 3,861 counted in January 2012 and up 375 from the 3,511 counted in February 2011.

February 2012 Rotary Rig Counts

                               February 2012                 January 2012          February 2011
               Land          OS       Total          Var.      Land OS       Total          Land OS       Total
               ----          ---      -----          ----      ---- ---      -----          ---- ---      -----

               Europe             72      48    120       (12)           71      37    108            71      47    118
               Middle East       261      50    311         0           263      48    311           252      40    292
               Africa             48      33     81        (3)           44      34     78            66      28     94
               Latin America     349      90    439       (19)          334      86    420           332      80    412
               Asia Pacific      154      99    253         1           152     102    254           159     114    273
                                   ---     ---    ---                             ---    ---                   ---    ---
    International                  884     320   1204       (33)          864     307   1171           880     309   1189

               United States    1938      43   1981        27          1966      42   2008          1674      25   1699
               Canada            701       0    701        19           682       0    682           621       2    623
                                 ---     ---    ---                             ---    ---                   ---    ---
    North America               2639      43   2682        46          2648      42   2690          2295      27   2322

    Worldwide                   3523     363   3886        25          3512     349   3861          3175     336   3511

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 57,000-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: Adam Anderson, +1.713.439.8039, adam.anderson@bakerhughes.com

Baker Hughes Incorporated

Web site: http://www.bakerhughes.com/