HOUSTON (AP) —Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by six this week to 1,861.

The Houston firm said in its weekly report Friday that 1,531 rigs were exploring for oil and 326 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,769 active rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, California gained eight rigs, Ohio increased by four, Oklahoma by three, Pennsylvania by two and Kansas one.

Texas declined by four rigs, Alaska, New Mexico and West Virginia were down two each, and Louisiana lost one.

Arkansas, Colorado, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming were all unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.

More From KOWB 1290