Bakken Rig Count Falls to 20 After Two Units Released

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota's Bakken formation fell to 20 on Tuesday, April 14, as two contractors released units. According to live data from Bakken Wire, no new rigs were added and none moved locations, resulting in a net daily decrease of two.

The rigs removed were both operating in McKenzie County. Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP released the NABORS X8 rig from location 148-98-24, while Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C. released the NABORS B17 rig from location 152-101-25.

The current count of 20 rigs represents a significant drop from recent levels. The active fleet is down five rigs from one week ago, when 25 rigs were operating on April 7, and down three rigs from the 23 rigs active on April 1.

The decline in the Bakken mirrors a broader contraction in North American drilling activity. According to a report from Rigzone published Tuesday, North America has lost rigs for seven consecutive weeks. The latest weekly data from Baker Hughes showed the continent dropped 10 rigs week on week.

A rig count in the low 20s places Bakken drilling activity at a historically muted level, reflecting operator caution amid commodity price volatility and capital discipline. The consistent weekly declines suggest a tightening of drilling budgets across the sector.

The release of rigs by operators like Burlington Resources and Devon Energy indicates adjustments to near-term drilling programs. McKenzie County, which remains the core of the Bakken play, continues to see the most activity but also the most significant adjustments as operators high-grade their portfolios.

With the total count now at 20, the trajectory suggests further potential for consolidation in the active drilling fleet in the coming weeks unless commodity prices provide a sustained incentive for increased activity.