North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 24; One Rig Removed, One Relocated

The number of rigs actively drilling for oil and gas in North Dakota held steady at 24 on Monday, July 20, according to live Bakken Wire data. The figure is down two rigs compared to one week and one month ago.

Day-over-day activity saw one rig removed from service and another change location. Slawson Exploration Company, Inc. stacked the Nabors X25 rig in Mountrail County at location 157-91-16. Meanwhile, Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation moved the Patterson 808 rig to a new well site at 151-102-33 in McKenzie County.

The stability in the overall count comes as global exploration activity sees shifts in other regions. According to a report from OilPrice.com, small oil and gas companies are rushing to secure offshore exploration permits in New Zealand before a general election in November. The country reopened for oil and gas exploration last year after a seven-year ban, but the opposition Labour Party has stated it would ban new offshore permits if it wins the election, though it would honor existing contracts.

New Zealand’s Resources Minister Shane Jones told Reuters that investor interest had rebounded in recent months. "It's taken us a while to straighten out the regulatory environment and, more recently, people have shown they're willing to risk money and have a go," Jones said. The report notes that New Zealand's domestic gas supply has slumped, leading the current government to shortlist proposals for the country’s first LNG import terminal.

The current North Dakota rig count of 24 remains a key indicator of ongoing development activity in the Bakken formation, the state's primary oil-producing region. Operator movements, such as Whiting's rig relocation to McKenzie County, continue to target the core areas of the play.

The historical context shows a slight pullback in activity, with the fleet down two rigs from the 26 reported on both July 13 and June 20. Day-to-day fluctuations in rig movements are common as operators complete wells and mobilize equipment to new drilling locations.