Bakken Rig Count Drops to 22 After Two Rigs Released

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota's Bakken formation fell to 22 on Monday, down two from the previous report. According to live rig data, no new rigs were added, and two were removed from service without relocation.

The rigs removed were the PATTERSON 276, operated by Phoenix Operating LLC in Mountrail County (158-91-29), and the NABORS X27, operated by HESS BAKKEN INVESTMENTS II, LLC in Williams County (156-95-4). The data indicates both rigs were released, meaning their drilling programs concluded and they were not immediately moved to new locations.

This decline continues a pattern of a relatively stable but constrained drilling environment in the Williston Basin. The current count of 22 rigs represents a modest operational level for the region, which is North Dakota's primary oil-producing area. The Williston Basin, according to a recent news report, covers much of North Dakota and extends into Canada, South Dakota, and Montana.

A rig count in the low 20s suggests operators are maintaining disciplined capital spending, focusing on core acreage and completing drilled but uncompleted wells (DUCs) rather than aggressively expanding new drilling. The release of rigs by both a private operator (Phoenix Operating) and a major player (Hess) reflects this measured approach to development.

The specific counties where activity ceased—Mountrail and Williams—are historic core areas of the Bakken play. Fluctuations in rigs within these counties are common as operators finish pads and move equipment. The absence of any rigs moving to new locations on Monday underscores a potential near-term pause in spudding new wells.

For royalty owners and service companies, a steady rig count provides predictability, but a downward move can signal tightening activity if the trend continues. The overall production impact from a two-rig change is typically lagged and minimal in the short term, given the large inventory of wells awaiting completion.

Market observers watch the Bakken rig count as a key indicator of oil-directed capital investment in the onshore United States. The current level, while down slightly, remains sufficient to maintain base production levels in the mature basin, where technological gains and improved efficiencies allow companies to extract more oil with fewer rigs than in previous boom cycles.