Baker Hughes said 3516 rigs were active last month compared to 3397 counted a month earlier.

The tally is up 3.5% to compared to 3397 active rigs in July 2011.

Both the United States and Canada saw fewer active rigs than this time last year but more than in June 2012, with 1945 and 307 active rigs respectively.

Canada saw the highest monthly swing, with 80 more active rigs than in June, while Latin America posted the largest decrease at 40 fewer rigs than a month earlier.

Europe and Africa both saw minor decreases, while the Middle East was largely level with last month, when Iraq’s tally of 79 rigs was included for the first time since 1990.

http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article1262362.ece?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter