Weekly US oil, gas rig count down 11 to 1,997 HOUSTON (AP) - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. is down 11 this week to 1,997. The Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,245 rigs were exploring for oil and 745 for natural gas. Seven were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week Baker Hughes reported 1,739 active rigs. Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Oklahoma gained two rigs and Colorado, North Dakota and Wyoming picked up one each. California and New Mexico lost one each, Texas and Alaska lost three each, and Louisiana lost seven. The rig counts in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia remained unchanged. The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.