WTI Crude--
Brent Crude--
Natural Gas--
ND Rig Count--
WTI Crude--
Brent Crude--
Natural Gas--
ND Rig Count--
BAKKEN WIRE
North Dakota Rig Count Climbs to 30 with Two New Additions - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Climbs to 30 with Two New Additions

The state's active drilling fleet increased by two rigs on Wednesday, continuing a steady upward trend from recent lows.

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·

The number of rigs actively drilling for oil and gas in North Dakota rose to 30 on Wednesday, August 5, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The count increased by two from the previous day, with no rigs removed or moved to new locations.

The new activity came from two operators in different counties. Koda Resources Operating, LLC, spud the STONEHAM 17 well in Divide County (160-103-22). Meanwhile, Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C., added the PRONGHORN 7 well in McKenzie County (151-102-34).

The latest increase continues a multi-week expansion of drilling activity in the Williston Basin. The current rig count of 30 represents a gain of four rigs compared to one week ago, when 26 rigs were active on July 29. The growth is more pronounced over the past month, with seven more rigs working now than on July 6, when the count stood at 23.

The rising rig count coincides with potential supportive policy developments for energy logistics. In a media briefing at the Port of Brownsville in Texas on Wednesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright commented on Jones Act waivers, which allow non-U.S. flagged vessels to transport refined products like gasoline and diesel between U.S. ports. "I think another temporary extension of the Jones Act waivers are quite likely to happen," Wright said, according to a report from Rigzone. Such waivers can help alleviate fuel supply bottlenecks and support refining margins, indirectly benefiting upstream producers.

In other industry news, the permitting phase has begun for the Coastal Bend LNG project in Texas, with the developer requesting a pre-filing review from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Rigzone reported. While not a direct Bakken project, new LNG export capacity supports long-term natural gas demand. Separately, international operator ADNOC announced the deployment of an AI-powered Real-Time Operations Center to manage over 120 rigs, highlighting a continued industry trend toward digital efficiency that is also prevalent among Bakken operators.

The sustained increase in North Dakota's drilling activity suggests operators are responding to a stabilized price environment and focusing on core acreage in prolific counties like McKenzie and Divide. The current level, however, remains below the peaks seen in previous boom cycles, indicating a continued focus on capital discipline and efficiency.

Source

Bakken Wire live rig data, Rigzone

rig countdrillingdevon energykoda resourcesmckenzie countydivide countyjones actlng

Share this article

PostShareShareEmail

Related Articles

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota remained unchanged at 34 on Sunday, August 23, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The count showed no movement, with no new rigs added, removed, or relocated since Saturday. The current activity level represents a significant increase from recent lows. The rig count is up by two from the 32 rigs reported one week ago on August 16, and is up by ten from the 24 rigs active one month ago on July 24. While onshore shale activity in the Bakken holds steady, major international oil companies are pursuing high-risk, high-reward drilling projects in other basins. According to a report from OilPrice.com, Mexico's Pemex and Brazil's Petrobras have formed a partnership to drill prospects in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Mexico's coast. The companies are targeting source rock formations described as miles deeper and eight times...

🌅Afternoon Wire·Aug 23
North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July

North Dakota's active drilling rig count held steady at 34 on Sunday, with no rigs added, removed, or moved in the past 24 hours, according to live Bakken Wire data. The current count represents a two-rig increase from one week ago and a ten-rig jump from the 24 rigs active one month ago on July 24, 2026. The stability at a higher level follows a period of significant growth, underscoring increased operator confidence. According to a recent state briefing, the count had reached 33 rigs earlier in the week, up from 26 in mid-July. Nathan Anderson, director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, highlighted the importance of this expansion during an Aug. 20 media briefing, Yahoo Finance reported. "We have seven additional rigs in the basin this month that we didn't have just 30 days ago, and that's important," Anderson said. The recent rig count increase has been...

☀️Morning Wire·Aug 23
North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34 as Multi-Week Expansion Continues - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34 as Multi-Week Expansion Continues

North Dakota's active drilling rig count held steady at 34 on Saturday, August 22, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The count showed no daily change, with zero new rigs added, zero rigs removed, and no rigs moving location. Despite the static daily figure, the current activity level represents a sustained multi-week expansion in the Williston Basin. The rig count is up by two from the 32 rigs active one week ago on August 15, and has risen by nine rigs, or over 36%, from the 25 rigs operating one month ago on July 23. The broader uptick in drilling coincides with an improvement in the state's oil production, according to a recent report. A source from Bing News, published August 20, noted that North Dakota's oil production numbers continue to improve amid higher oil prices resulting from an ongoing U.S. war with Iran. The state relies heavily on...

🌅Afternoon Wire·Aug 22