Domestic rig count falls by 13 to 760

(Houston-AP) -- The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States fell this week to 760, a drop of 13 from last week.<br><br>Baker Hughes reports that Oklahoma's count

Friday, February 25th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Houston-AP) -- The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States fell this week to 760, a drop of 13 from last week.

Baker Hughes reports that Oklahoma's count fell to 67, a decline of three from last week.

During the same week last year, 533 rigs were operating in the United States.

Baker Hughes has kept track of the count since 1944. The tally peaked at 4,530 in late 1981.

The national count bottomed out at 498 on April Ninth of last year.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana gained five rigs and Califonia gained three this week. Texas lost six and
New Mexico lost five.

Alaska's count remained unchanged.