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North Dakota Bakken Rig Count Holds at 23 After Daily Churn - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Bakken Rig Count Holds at 23 After Daily Churn

The state added one rig and dropped one on Monday, with one rig moving locations, maintaining the count seen for most of April.

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota held steady at 23 on Monday, April 27, following a day of offsetting activity that saw one new rig start up and one rig released. According to live rig data, one rig also moved to a new location within the Bakken formation.

Slawson Exploration Company, Inc. added a new rig to the field, deploying the T&S Drilling 2 rig to a location in Mountrail County (157-91-16). Concurrently, SOGC, LLC released the Noble 2 rig from its location in McKenzie County (147-98-3). In a separate move, Oasis Petroleum North America LLC relocated its Noble 4 rig to a new site, also in Mountrail County (157-93-13).

The day's activity results in no net change to the state's total, which has shown stability over the past month. The current count of 23 rigs is exactly level with the count recorded 26 days ago on April 1. Compared to one week ago on April 20, when 21 rigs were active, the fleet has grown by two units.

The steady activity in the Bakken aligns with a broader, albeit slight, trend noted in North America. According to a report from Rigzone published Monday, North America as a whole added one rig week-on-week, breaking a recent streak of losses. The data, sourced from Baker Hughes' latest North America rotary rig count, indicates a tentative stabilization in drilling activity across the continent.

For North Dakota operators, the consistent rig level through April suggests a maintained focus on drilling efficiency and core acreage development, particularly in counties like Mountrail and McKenzie which remain central to Bakken production. The movement of rigs between locations is a routine part of operational planning as companies work through their drilling inventories.

The Bakken formation is North Dakota's primary oil-producing region, and rig count is a closely watched leading indicator for future production and industry employment. The current count remains significantly below historical peaks but reflects a sustained base level of activity.

Source

Live rig data from Bakken Wire; Historical context data; Rigzone report published 2026-04-27.

rig countdrillingbakkennorth dakotaslawson explorationoasis petroleummountrail countymckenzie county

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