North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 25 for 2026-05-21

North Dakota's active drilling rig count remained steady at 25 on Thursday, May 21, 2026, with no rigs added, removed, or moved in the last 24 hours, according to Bakken Wire live data.

The current count shows a slight uptick from recent weeks. The rig count is up by one rig compared to one week ago, on May 14, 2026, when 24 rigs were active. It is also three rigs higher than the level seen one month ago on April 21, 2026, which stood at 22.

The stability in rig activity comes as thousands of oil and gas professionals are gathered in Bismarck for the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, according to related news reports. The conference, now in its second day, is a major industry event for the region.

Industry leaders at the conference have highlighted a focus on natural gas and long-term production strategies for the Bakken. According to a summary from Bing News, leaders shared that "in the Bakken, natural gas is booming." This discussion took place during a session titled "A time to act: Natural gas production in the Bakken."

A separate news summary reported that a central theme of the conference is "Bakken 2.0: A plan to double North Dakota oil recovery." While specific details of the plan were not provided in the available sources, the topic underscores industry discussions around improving recovery rates from the vast Bakken formation, which is North Dakota's primary oil-producing region.

The rig count is a key leading indicator of future oil and gas production in the state. The current level of 25 rigs represents a stable operational tempo for producers in the Williston Basin. The modest increase over the past month aligns with broader industry conversations about optimizing both oil and associated natural gas output.

The conference discussions suggest that despite a steady near-term rig count, operators are planning for the basin's long-term future. Enhancing recovery from existing wells and managing growing natural gas production are key focal points for the industry.

With no daily change in rigs, activity appears consolidated. Operators often use major industry conferences to announce new strategies or partnerships, which can influence future drilling plans and rig deployments.

The Bakken Wire will continue to monitor rig activity and report on developments from the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference.