North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 25, Extends Steady Decline from June

North Dakota's active drilling rig count held steady at 25 on Monday, July 6, according to live rig data from Bakken Wire. No rigs were added, removed, or moved locations since the previous day.

The current count represents a continued, gradual decline in drilling activity. The state's rig fleet is down one rig from the 26 active one week ago on June 29, and down two rigs from the 27 active one month ago on June 6.

The steady rig count comes amid ongoing development of midstream infrastructure designed to support and potentially stimulate long-term activity in the Bakken. According to a report from the Grand Forks Herald, the proposed Bakken East natural gas pipeline has been redesigned with larger pipe diameters to meet higher-than-anticipated demand. WBI Energy Transmission Inc. is planning the approximately 400-mile line from near Watford City to Mapleton.

Justin Kringstad, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, told the Herald that upgraded pipe sizes—from 36 inches to 42 inches for the first 134 miles—mean more capacity for customers. "Having larger pipe diameters into the Red River Valley, for long-term growth opportunities, is meaningful," Kringstad said. Keith Lund, President and CEO of the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp., noted the expanded capacity would create greater opportunity for industrial development, ranking natural gas expansion as a top priority.

Meanwhile, international drilling politics continue to evolve. According to a report from Oilprice.com, six more European financial institutions have voiced opposition to Norway's push for Arctic oil drilling, joining a dozen others. The opponents, including Swedbank Robur Fonder AB and French pension fund Ircantec, argue energy transition efforts should take priority over new Arctic development aimed at boosting European supply security. Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has lobbied the EU to reconsider its de facto moratorium on Arctic drilling, framing it as an energy security necessity.

For North Dakota operators, the stable but lower rig count reflects ongoing capital discipline and efficiency gains, while planned infrastructure like the Bakken East pipeline points to future market access for natural gas, a key byproduct of Bakken oil production.