Inland water activity lost 2 rigs, with 13 still working. Offshore drilling was down by 4 rigs to 33 in the Gulf of Mexico and a total of 34 on the US shelf. Gas drilling increased by 16 rigs to 773. Drilling for oil also increased by 16 units, to 409. There were 11 rigs unclassified. Directional drilling gained 11 rigs to 202 working.
BOWIE COUNTY. Bowie County is in the far northeastern corner of the state, bordered by the Red River on the north, with Arkansas and Oklahoma across its northern boundary and Arkansas to the east.
Because the area of Northeast Texas encompassing present Bowie County was considered by many to be part of Arkansas, it was the site of some of the earliest white settlement in Texas. Hunters and traders were active in the area by 1815, and in contiguous Red River County permanent settlement was underway by 1818.