The worldwide rig count for October 2009 was 2,271, up 68 from the 2,203 counted in September 2009 and down 1,247 from the 3,518 counted in October 2008.

October 2009 Rotary Rig Counts

                   October 2009            September  2009    October 2008
                   Land  OS   Total   Var.  Land  OS  Total  Land  OS   Total
                   ----  --   -----   ----  ----  --   ----- ----  --   -----

      Europe         43   41    84      1     38   45    83    53   48    101
      Middle East   205   34   239     (6)   213   32   245   253   35    288
      Africa         47   15    62      5     42   15    57    48   12     60
      Latin America 282   69   351     (4)   281   74   355   325   78    403
      Asia Pacific  139  108   247      1    137  109   246   133  111    244
                    ---  ---   ---           ---  ---   ---   ---  ---    ---
    International   716  267   983     (3)   711  275   986   812  284   1096


      United States 976   33  1009     29    976   33  1009  1903   73   1976
      Canada        206    2   208     30    206    2   208   444    2    446
                    ---    -   ---           ---    -   ---   ---    -    ---
    North America  1182   35  1217     59   1182   35  1217  2347   75   2422

    Worldwide      1893  310  2203     98   1893  310  2203  3159  359   3518

About the Baker Hughes Rig Counts

The Baker Hughes Rotary Rig Counts are counts of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the United States, Canada and international markets. Baker Hughes has issued the rotary rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of US and Canadian drilling activity. Hughes initiated the monthly international rig count in 1975.

North American rig count data is scheduled to be released at noon central time on the last working day of each week. The international rig count is scheduled to be released on the 5th working day of the month. Additional detailed information on the Baker Hughes rig counts is available from our website at http://www.bakerhughes.com/investor/rig.

Baker Hughes provides reservoir consulting, drilling, formation evaluation, completion and production products and services to the worldwide oil and gas industry.

    Contacts:
    Gary R. Flaharty (713) 439-8039
    H. Gene Shiels (713) 439-8822

SOURCE Baker Hughes Incorporated

http://www.bakerhughes.com

The company's US rig count for October 2009 was 1,044, an increase of 35 from the 1,009 counted in September 2009 but a decrease of 932 from the 1,976 counted in October 2008. A The Canadian rig count for October 2009 was 244, which is up 36 from the 208 counted in September 2009 but down 202 from the 446 counted in October 2008.

Baker Hughes' worldwide rig count for October 2009 stood at 2,271. This is an increase of 68 from the 2,203 counted in September 2009 but a decrease of 1,247 from the 3,518 counted in October 2008.

Comments on this story may be sent to admin@m2.com

The worldwide rig count for October 2009 was 2,271, up 68 from the 2,203 counted in September 2009 and down 1,247 from the 3,518 counted in October 2008.

October 2009 Rotary Rig Counts

                       October 2009           September 2009    October 2008
                     Land   OS   Total   Var. Land  OS   Total Land   OS Total
                     ----   --  -----  ----  ----   --  -----  ----   -- -----

      Europe           43   41    84      1    38   45     83    53   48   101
      Middle East     205   34   239     (6)  213   32    245   253   35   288
      Africa           47   15    62      5    42   15     57    48   12    60
      Latin America   282   69   351     (4)  281   74    355   325   78   403
      Asia Pacific    139  108   247      1   137  109    246   133  111   244
                      ---  ---   ---          ---  ---    ---   ---  ---   ---
    International     716  267   983     (3)  711  275    986   812  284  1096

      United States  1011   33  1044     35   976   33   1009  1903   73  1976
      Canada          243    1   244     36   206    2    208   444    2   446
                      ---  ---   ---          ---  ---    ---   ---  ---   ---
    North America    1254   34  1288     59  1182   35   1217  2347   75  2422
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Worldwide        1970  301  2271     68  1893  310   2203  3159  359  3518

About the Baker Hughes Rig Counts

The Baker Hughes Rotary Rig Counts are counts of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the United States, Canada and international markets. Baker Hughes has issued the rotary rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of US and Canadian drilling activity. Hughes initiated the monthly international rig count in 1975.

North American rig count data is scheduled to be released at noon central time on the last working day of each week. The international rig count is scheduled to be released on the 5th working day of the month. Additional detailed information on the Baker Hughes rig counts is available from our website at http://www.bakerhughes.com/investor/rig.

Baker Hughes provides reservoir consulting, drilling, formation evaluation, completion and production products and services to the worldwide oil and gas industry.

    Contacts:
    Gary R. Flaharty (713) 439-8039
    H. Gene Shiels (713) 439-8822

SOURCE Baker Hughes Incorporated

http://www.bakerhughes.com