text: U.S. Gulf rig down by one to 162 in week . NEW YORK 1996-08-30 There were 162 rigs under contract in the U.S. Gulf as of August 30 , down one from the prior week , Offshore Data Services said . The utilization rate for rigs working in the Gulf , based on a total fleet of 181 , was 89.5 percent . The number of working rigs in European / Mediterranean remained unchanged this week , with 105 rigs under contract out of a total fleet of 105 , a utilization rate of 100 percent . The worldwide rig count fell by one to 554 out of a total fleet of 608 , making the utilization rate 91.1 percent . -- New York Energy Desk 212-859-1620