ND Rig Count at 33 After No Day-Over-Day Changes

North Dakota's active rig count stood at 33 on Monday, according to live rig data.

The data showed no movement from the prior day. No new rigs were reported since Sunday, no rigs were removed and no rigs changed location, leaving the count unchanged at 33 active rigs.

The flat day-over-day reading came after a week in which the count fell by two rigs. A week ago, on Oct. 5, North Dakota had 35 active rigs.

The count is also one rig lower than it was a month ago. On Sept. 12, the state reported 34 active rigs.

For Bakken operators, the unchanged Monday tally means the reported active rig base did not expand or contract over the latest day-to-day comparison. The week-over-week decline, however, shows the rig base remains below where it stood seven days earlier.

For royalty owners and North Dakota energy communities, rig counts are closely watched because they indicate how many active drilling operations are underway at a given point. The Bakken formation is a central part of North Dakota's oil production, and active rig levels can influence well development activity, service demand and drilling-related spending.

The current 33-rig count sits below both the one-week and one-month comparisons. It is two rigs below the Oct. 5 level and one rig below the Sept. 12 level.

The absence of day-over-day moves means the decline from last week's 35 rigs and last month's 34 rigs has not continued into Monday's snapshot. The latest report showed zero additions, zero removals and zero rig relocations.

Rig activity reports typically reflect active drilling rigs at a given point in time and can change when operators add crews, release rigs or move rigs to new locations. Monday's data showed no such movements.

The Bakken's active rig tally remains a key indicator for oil and gas market participants tracking North Dakota drilling momentum. With the count unchanged from the prior day but lower than both recent benchmarks, the latest data points to a stable short-term snapshot within a slightly reduced rig base.

The report's day-over-day stability also provides a clear baseline for the next update. If new rigs are added, rigs are removed or rigs move location in the next period, those changes would be reflected in the state's active rig count.

The Monday reading gives operators a point-in-time view of active drilling presence in the state. A count of 33 active rigs is not a production figure, but it is a measure of active drilling operations as reported in the rig data.

The historical comparisons show the rig base has shifted modestly rather than dramatically over the past four weeks. The one-month decline of one rig and the one-week decline of two rigs both point to a smaller active fleet than recent reference points.

The zero movements reported for Monday mean the 33-rig count did not change because of additions, removals or relocations during the latest reporting window.