North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 23 as Devon Removes One Drilling Unit
Active drilling fleet remains unchanged week-over-week despite one rig release in the Williston Basin.
North Dakota's active drilling rig count held steady at 23 on Friday, April 24, 2026, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The tally showed no net change from the previous day, despite one rig being released from service.
The only change in the fleet was the removal of the NABORS B17 rig, which had been operating for Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C. in McKenzie County at location 152-101-25. No new rigs were added and none were reported as moving to new locations on Friday.
The current count of 23 rigs is up by one compared to the level seen one week prior, on April 17, 2026. It is identical to the count reported 23 days ago, on April 1, indicating a period of notable stability for the state's drilling activity over the past month.
The stability in the rig count comes as operators in the Bakken formation and wider Williston Basin continue to focus on capital discipline and efficiency. The rig count is a key leading indicator of future oil production in the state, which is the third-largest oil producer in the United States. A flat count suggests operators are maintaining, but not aggressively expanding, their drilling programs.
McKenzie County, where the released rig was located, consistently ranks as North Dakota's most active county for oil production and drilling. The removal of a single rig in this core area is a routine operational adjustment and does not necessarily signal a broader strategic shift for the operator.
The current level of activity remains significantly below the peaks seen in previous boom cycles, reflecting an industry that has prioritized generating free cash flow and returning capital to shareholders over volume growth. The modest, stable rig fleet is sufficient to maintain production from the prolific Bakken and Three Forks formations, where technological advances have steadily improved well productivity.
Market observers will monitor whether the rig count begins to trend upward in the coming weeks, which could signal a response to stronger oil prices or updated annual budgets. For now, the data suggests a holding pattern for drilling activity in the nation's key onshore oil basins.
Source
Bakken Wire Live Rig Data
