U.S. Drillers Start Out The New Year With A Whimper

The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States stayed the same again this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday, after seeing no change in the three weeks prior. The total rig count remained flat at 589 total rigs, according to Baker Hughes, down 32 from this same time last year. The number of oil rigs dipped by 1—down by 19 compared to this time last year. The number of gas rigs rose by 1, to 103, a loss of 15 active gas rigs from this time last year. Miscellaneous rigs stayed the…