North Dakota Rig Count Holds Steady at 27

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota held steady at 27 on Friday, according to Bakken Wire's live rig data. The count saw one addition and one removal, resulting in no net change from the previous day.

Enerplus Resources USA Corporation added the sole new rig, moving the NOBLE 4 into Williams County at location 157-99-11. Meanwhile, Silver Hill Energy Operating, LLC removed the NABORS B27 rig from Mountrail County at 158-94-35. No rigs were reported to have moved locations within the state.

The current activity level represents a slight decrease from one week ago, when the state reported 28 active rigs on June 5, 2026. However, the rig count has shown growth on a longer-term basis, standing three rigs higher than the count of 24 seen one month ago on May 13, 2026.

This steady rig activity continues against a backdrop of ongoing legal and regulatory developments impacting North Dakota's energy sector. On Thursday, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley announced the final settlement of a lawsuit with the U.S. government over costs related to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests, according to a Bing News report. While the settlement details were not provided in the summary, such resolutions can remove lingering financial uncertainties for the state related to critical infrastructure.

The stability in the rig count suggests operators are maintaining a measured pace of development in the Bakken formation. Williams County, where Enerplus added its rig, has long been a core area of activity within the Williston Basin. The movement of a single rig, as seen with Silver Hill's removal in Mountrail County, is a routine part of field operations as companies complete existing wells and mobilize equipment to new drilling locations.

For royalty owners and service companies, a consistent rig count in the mid-to-high 20s indicates sustained, but not expanding, drilling activity. The current level of 27 rigs provides a baseline for near-term production forecasts and service sector demand across the region.