Canada
August 14, 2026
Rig counts push higher in US and Canada
Written by Laura Miller
The latest Baker Hughes data shows drilling activity picked up in the US last week while edging higher in Canada as well.
The US rig count rose by five to 593 in the week ending Aug. 14, with one additional oil rig and four additional gas rigs in operation. The count is the highest it’s been since March 2025.
In Canada, five additional oil rigs and two fewer miscellaneous rigs were in operation, bringing the weekly rig count to 219 active rigs. Drilling in Canada is highly seasonal, and activity has been picking up steadily since bottoming out in May.
The monthly international rig count was updated last week with July figures. Baker Hughes reported 1,096 active international rigs for July. Land rigs increased by 14 to 847, and offshore rigs rose by nine to 249. July’s count is up 23 from the previous month and up 17 from last year’s count.
The Baker Hughes rig count is significant for the steel industry because it is a leading indicator of oil country tubular goods (OCTG) demand, a key end market for steel sheet.
