Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are big business in Wyoming — extraction provides about 70 percent of its state revenue.

The number of rigs drilling for oil has hit a three-year high and that activity is pulling in new employees.

Wyoming Mining Association executive director Travis Deti says the jobs number shows that the industry has stabilized.

Texas lost two rigs and West Virginia decreased by one.

Alaska lost two rigs. Arkansas, Colorado and Louisiana were down one rig each.

A year ago, just 463 rigs were active.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May of 2016 at 404.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes said Friday that 763 rigs sought oil and 189 explored for natural gas this week.