
Bakken Rig Count Rises to 33, Up 3 Net in Active Monday
The North Dakota oilfield added three new drilling rigs and saw two depart, continuing a steady climb from summer lows.
The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota increased by one to 33 on Monday, August 17, according to live rig data from Bakken Wire. The net gain resulted from three new rigs commencing operations and two rigs being released from service.
Three operators brought new rigs to the field. Silver Hill Energy Operating, LLC spudded a well using the NABORS B27 rig in Burke County at location 159-93-6. In Mountrail County, HESS BAKKEN INVESTMENTS II, LLC started drilling with the ENSIGN 532 rig at 157-93-17. CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC. added the PATTERSON 288 rig to its operations in Williams County at 153-102-11.
Two rigs were removed from the count. OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC released the NABORS B26 rig from its Mountrail County location at 157-92-7. Also in Mountrail County, ROUGH RIDER BAKKEN WATER LLC released the T&S DRILLING 3 rig from location 157-93-12. No rigs were reported as having moved between locations on Monday.
The current activity continues a multi-week upward trend for the Williston Basin. The rig count of 33 represents a gain of five rigs from one week prior, when 28 rigs were active on August 10. Compared to one month ago on July 18, when the count stood at 25 rigs, the Bakken field has added eight drilling rigs.
The sustained increase suggests operators are responding to stable or improved market conditions by accelerating drilling programs after a period of reduced activity. The Bakken formation is North Dakota's primary oil-producing region, and rig count is a leading indicator of future production and field service demand.
Monday's activity was concentrated in the core counties of the play. Mountrail County, a historical hotspot for Bakken development, saw both an addition and two subtractions. Williams and Burke counties also saw new rigs deployed, indicating a broad-based increase in operator activity across the basin.
Source
Bakken Wire Live Rig Data


