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BAKKEN WIRE
North Dakota Rig Count Falls to 36 After Three Rigs Released - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Falls to 36 After Three Rigs Released

The state's active drilling fleet decreased by three, with Phoenix, Devon, and Kraken each releasing a rig, while the national count holds flat.

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·

North Dakota's active drilling rig count fell to 36 on Friday, October 30, 2026, a decrease of three from the previous day. According to live rig data, no new rigs were added and none moved locations, resulting in a net loss of three.

The rigs removed were the PATTERSON 268, operated by Phoenix Operating LLC in Divide County; the NABORS B 13, operated by DEVON ENERGY WILLISTON, L.L.C. in McKenzie County; and the T&S DRILLING 1, operated by KRAKEN OPERATING, LLC, also in McKenzie County.

The current count of 36 rigs is down by one compared to one week ago, when 37 rigs were active on October 23. However, activity remains higher than one month ago; the state had 33 active rigs on September 30, representing a net gain of three rigs over the past month.

The decline in North Dakota contrasts with a flat week for the national drilling picture. According to OilPrice.com, the total number of active drilling rigs in the United States remained unchanged at 603 for the week. The national oil rig count rose by two to 462, while the gas rig count fell by two to 130. The Permian Basin rig count held steady at 272, while the Eagle Ford saw a one-rig decline to 50.

The broader industry context includes mixed signals. OilPrice.com also reported that weekly U.S. crude oil production rose to an average of 13.992 million barrels per day for the week ending October 23. However, Primary Vision’s Frac Spread Count, which estimates crews completing wells, fell for a second consecutive week to 194.

Oil prices were trading higher on Friday. Brent crude was at $117.58 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate was at $104.13.

The rig releases in the Bakken come amid a focus on operational safety elsewhere in the global energy sector. In separate incidents reported this week, a water tank rupture caused safety concerns at a dam construction site in Tajikistan, and three fatalities were confirmed after a rig sank offshore Gabon.

Source

Live rig data, OilPrice.com, Rigzone

rig countdrillingbakkennorth dakotaphoenix operatingdevon energykraken operatingmckenzie countydivide county

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