North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 29 Amid Stable Regulatory Landscape

The North Dakota oil and gas industry continues to operate within a stable regulatory framework, with 29 active rigs currently drilling in the state according to midday data on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. This level of activity provides a baseline for the enforcement of state policies governing flaring, well spacing, and environmental compliance.

Key regulatory themes shaping Bakken development include the state's ongoing targets for natural gas capture. The current price of natural gas, reported at $2.75, remains a factor in the economic feasibility of capturing associated gas rather than flaring it. The state's Industrial Commission has historically set and adjusted gas capture goals to reduce flaring, a policy directly impacting operator permitting and infrastructure planning.

Well spacing and unitization rules, established by the North Dakota Industrial Commission's Oil and Gas Division, dictate how operators can develop the Bakken and Three Forks formations. These regulations determine the density of wells and aim to prevent waste while protecting correlative rights, fundamentally shaping the pace and pattern of development across the Williston Basin.

The regulatory environment operates against a backdrop of firming oil prices. West Texas Intermediate crude traded at $83.06 per barrel at midday, up $0.93 or 1.13%. Brent crude was at $88.59, up $0.87. The Bakken crude differential—the discount at which Bakken oil trades compared to WTI—was reported at -$3.42 per barrel.

State policies are designed to balance resource development with stewardship, influencing decisions from drilling permits to plugging and abandonment. The current rig count of 29, while modest compared to historical peaks, represents a significant operational footprint requiring continuous regulatory oversight across the North Dakota landscape.