Numbers don't tell the whole story. In fact, the meaning of numbers sometimes changes over time.

A declining monthly average rig count in Wyoming, for example, doesn't explain how the oil and gas industry is maintaining the same number of workers and producing more and more product.

The number of active rotary rigs in Wyoming increased slightly to 71 compared to 66 two weeks ago, according to Baker Hughes. That's a slower springtime increase than in years past.

At the end of April, Wyoming economists noted that the 66 active rotary rigs in Wyoming compared to about 70 in 2007 and 100 in 2005.

Wyoming ranks second in the nation for most overtime worked. So the industry's ability to maintain 18,000 direct jobs since December could be an indication that crews have cut back on overtime, according to Jim Robinson, senior economist for the state's economic analysis division.

Another factor is efficiency.

Now several years into well-organized "resource plays," natural gas companies are drilling more wells with fewer rigs in some areas.

"These are cookie-cutter wells where we're drilling essentially the same well time after time after time," said Randy Teeuwen, spokesman for EnCana Oil & Gas.

Two years ago, EnCana partnered with Ensign Drilling to begin cycling "fit-for-purpose" rigs into its Jonah field drilling program. One major goal of the special rigs was to reduce nitrous oxide emissions by incorporating natural gas-fired power.

The upgrades also included iron derrick men and iron roughnecks - automated machines that perform pipe handling tasks.

"This has made pipe connection duties safer and more efficient than in the past," said Teeuwen.

EnCana's current drilling plan for the year is 160 new wells, about 13 wells for each rig. The specialty rigs helped EnCana reduce the time it takes to drill a typical Jonah well from 28 days to about 18 days now, and allowed the company to go from 17 rigs two years ago to 12 rigs now.

Teeuwen said moving a rig from one well location to the next can be done in the span of eight hours.

"In the old days it used to take two or three days to move a rig from one location to the next," said Teeuwen.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com.