North Dakota rig count holds at 33 amid weekly decline
Two rigs were added and two removed Thursday, leaving North Dakota’s active fleet unchanged for the day but below last week’s count.
WILLISTON BASIN, N.D. — North Dakota's active rig count held at 33 after two rigs were added and two were removed, according to Bakken Wire rig data.
The day's net change leaves the fleet unchanged from the prior day but below the count reported a week ago. Active rigs totaled 36 on Nov. 5, 2026, and 34 on Oct. 13, 2026, according to the historical context.
New rigs were placed in Burke and Williams counties. Oasis Petroleum North America LLC activated the NOBLE 1 at 159-93-1 in Burke County. Kraken Operating, LLC activated the NABORS B 12 at 158-100-17 in Williams County.
The removed rigs were Koda Resources Operating, LLC's STONEHAM 17, previously at 161-102-14 in Divide County, and Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC's ENSIGN 532, previously at 149-100-29 in McKenzie County.
No rigs moved location during the day, the data show.
For operators and royalty owners, the flat count hides changes in where drilling is occurring. The additions in Burke and Williams counties offset removals in Divide and McKenzie counties, keeping the statewide total steady while shifting activity across the basin.
The week-over-week trend is weaker. The count is down 3 rigs from a week ago, an 8.3% decline from 36. Over the past month, the count has slipped by 1 rig, or about 2.9%, from 34.
Broader inflation and energy price pressures remain a backdrop for drilling decisions. OilPrice.com reported Thursday that U.S. consumer prices rose four-tenths of a percent over the last month and are expected to finish the year up 4% from 2025, with food and energy costs among the main drivers.
The report said the war in Iran is contributing to stubborn inflation and high energy costs. It also cited Austan Goolsbee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as warning that shocks from oil prices, tariffs and demand-side pressures have not faded as expected.
OilPrice.com said energy demand tied to the artificial intelligence boom is pushing energy prices higher in regions with rapid data center growth. The site's headline said more drilling will not shield U.S. consumers from oil price shocks.
That framing matters for the Bakken because rig activity is only one input into production and prices. North Dakota producers face costs for drilling, completions, water, sand, labor and midstream access, and royalty owners watch rig counts for clues about future well development.
The rig data did not specify whether the removed rigs were released after drilling, moved out of state or held idle, nor did it identify well types or targets. The additions and removals are the only operator-specific movements reported for Thursday.
Source
Bakken Wire live rig data; OilPrice.com, "More Drilling Won’t Shield U.S. Consumers From Oil Price Shocks," Nov. 12, 2026.
