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BAKKEN WIRE
Bakken Rig Count Falls to 23 as Hess, Formentera Drop Rigs - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

Bakken Rig Count Falls to 23 as Hess, Formentera Drop Rigs

North Dakota's active drilling rigs decreased by two this week, continuing a gradual decline in Bakken activity as operators remain cautious.

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·

The number of rigs actively drilling for oil and gas in North Dakota fell to 23 on Friday, July 10, according to Bakken Wire live data. The count decreased by two from the previous day, with no new rigs added and none moving location.

The two rigs removed from service were the NABORS x24, operated by Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC in McKenzie County, and the PRONGHORN 7, operated by Formentera Operations, LLC in Divide County. This brings the state's total active rig count down two from one week ago, when it stood at 25, and down four from a month ago, on June 10, when 27 rigs were active.

The decline in the Bakken contrasts with a slight increase in the national rig count this week. According to a report from OilPrice.com, the total number of active drilling rigs in the United States rose to 581, up 44 from the same time last year. However, the gain was attributed to miscellaneous rigs, while the number of active oil rigs remained flat at 445.

Other major basins showed mixed activity. The Permian Basin saw its rig count fall by five to 256, which is nine rigs below year-ago levels, OilPrice.com reported. Meanwhile, the Eagle Ford added three rigs, bringing its total to 47.

U.S. crude oil production has continued to rise despite the cautious drilling activity. The latest U.S. Energy Information Administration data cited by OilPrice.com shows weekly production averaged 13.860 million barrels per day for the week ending July 3, up from 13.810 million bpd the previous week and up 475,000 bpd from a year ago.

Completion activity, however, appears stronger nationally. Primary Vision’s Frac Spread Count, an estimate of crews completing wells, rose by five in the week ending July 2 to 205 crews, according to the OilPrice.com report.

Oil prices were down on Friday. Brent crude was trading at $75.72 per barrel, a drop of 0.76%, while West Texas Intermediate was at $71.26, down 1.14%, according to the same source.

The gradual, multi-week decline in Bakken drilling rigs suggests operators in North Dakota's premier oil region are maintaining a measured pace, even as national production hits new highs.

Source

Bakken Wire live rig data, OilPrice.com report published July 10, 2026

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