Bakken Rig Count Holds at 25 for Second Consecutive Week

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota's oil fields remained unchanged at 25 on Friday, July 24, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The count showed no day-over-day movement, with no new rigs added, no rigs removed, and no rigs moving to new locations.

This marks the second consecutive week of stability for the state's drilling activity. The rig count also stood at 25 one week ago, on July 17. However, the current fleet represents a slight contraction compared to earlier in the summer, having fallen by two rigs since June 24, when 27 rigs were operational.

The steady rig count suggests a period of equilibrium for Bakken operators amid current commodity price and service cost environments. A stable rig count typically indicates that major producers are maintaining, but not aggressively expanding, their drilling programs for the near term. The rig count is a closely watched leading indicator for future oil production in the Williston Basin.

The current level of 25 rigs is historically moderate for the Bakken formation. During the peak drilling years preceding the 2015 downturn, active rigs regularly numbered over 200. The more recent post-pandemic recovery saw counts climb back above 50 before moderating throughout 2025 and 2026 in response to market conditions and a focus on capital discipline.

With no rigs reported as moving locations, it appears most drilling activity is focused on completing planned wells within existing development areas, likely targeting the core counties of McKenzie, Mountrail, Dunn, and Williams. The consistency in count week-over-week may reflect a balance between the completion of some drilling projects and the spudding of new ones by various operators.

The two-rig decline over the past month could be attributed to normal program adjustments by individual companies, the conclusion of specific multi-well pads, or minor shifts in capital allocation. Such small fluctuations are common and do not necessarily signal a broader shift in strategy across the basin.

For royalty owners and service companies, a flat rig count suggests a predictable level of near-term activity. Production from wells drilled by the current fleet will continue to feed into pipeline and gathering systems in the coming months. Market observers will monitor whether this plateau holds or if operators adjust their drilling tempo in response to third-quarter financial results and updated commodity price forecasts.