Bakken rig count holds at 38 as one North Dakota rig moves

North Dakota's active drilling rig count held at 38 on Tuesday, with no new rigs added and no rigs removed from the field, according to the day's rig activity data.

The flat day-over-day count leaves the fleet at the same level reported a week earlier, when North Dakota also had 38 active rigs on Oct. 27, 2026.

One rig changed location during the day. Oasis Petroleum North America LLC moved the Nabors B26 to 158-92-33 in Mountrail County, the data showed. No other moves, new rigs or removed rigs were reported.

The one-rig move did not change the total number of active rigs, but it shifted where drilling activity is occurring within North Dakota. The data did not provide a reason for the relocation.

For Bakken operators, the unchanged count suggests that current drilling intensity has stabilized in the immediate term. The absence of new rigs and removals means no net expansion or contraction in the active fleet over the past 24 hours.

The broader trend over the past month shows modest growth. North Dakota had 35 active rigs on Oct. 4, 2026, according to the historical data. The current count of 38 is three rigs higher than that level.

The one-week comparison shows no movement since Oct. 27. That period of stability contrasts with the net increase over the prior four weeks, indicating that rig additions that occurred earlier in the month have not been followed by additional drilling rigs joining the active fleet in the most recent week.

For royalty owners, rig activity is one of the leading operational indicators that can influence near-term well spacing, development pace and potential production reporting. A steady count does not confirm production changes, but it shows that operators are maintaining a similar level of active drilling capacity across North Dakota.

For North Dakota, the data points to a drilling market that has added rigs over the past month but has not added rigs in the most recent week. The single relocation highlights that activity continues within the state's oil-producing counties even when the total fleet count does not move.

The Nabors B26 move to Mountrail County is the only reported change in active rig placement. Mountrail County is part of the Williston Basin's oil-producing region, and the relocation keeps that rig in the active North Dakota count.

The Bakken formation is North Dakota's primary oil-producing region, and rig counts are closely watched by operators, service companies and royalty owners as a measure of drilling intensity. The Tuesday data shows no net change in active rigs, one relocation and a modest month-over-month increase in the fleet.