WTI Crude--
Brent Crude--
Natural Gas--
ND Rig Count--
WTI Crude--
Brent Crude--
Natural Gas--
ND Rig Count--
BAKKEN WIRE
North Dakota Rig Count Plummets to Zero Amid Holiday Shutdown - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Plummets to Zero Amid Holiday Shutdown

All 25 active rigs were removed Thursday, marking a complete halt in new drilling activity across the Bakken formation.

Bakken Wire Staff·☀️Morning Wire·

The active drilling rig count in North Dakota fell to zero on Thursday, July 2, as operators idled 25 rigs across the state. According to live rig data, no new rigs were added and none were moved to new locations, resulting in a total shutdown of new drilling activity.

This marks a dramatic decline from just one week ago, when the state reported 26 active rigs on June 26. The count is also down sharply from the 31 rigs reported one month ago on June 3.

The rigs removed span several major oil-producing counties in the Bakken formation and Williston Basin. McKenzie County saw the largest number of rigs taken offline, with seven rigs removed. Operators shutting down in McKenzie County included Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP, Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC, Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C., Oasis Petroleum North America LLC, and Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation.

Mountrail County had four rigs removed, operated by Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC, Oasis Petroleum North America LLC, EOG Resources, Inc., and Slawson Exploration Company, Inc. Williams County also saw five rigs idled, operated by XTO Energy Inc, Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C., Silver Hill Energy Operating, LLC, Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC, and Enerplus Resources USA Corporation.

Other counties affected include Bowman, Burke, Divide, and Dunn. Operators removing rigs in those areas were Marlo Operating Company, LLC, Formentera Operations, LLC, Koda Resources Operating, LLC, Hunt Oil Company, Phoenix Operating LLC, and Enerplus Resources USA Corporation.

A complete halt to drilling activity is highly unusual and is typically associated with major holidays, severe weather events, or significant economic disruptions. The timing coincides with the Fourth of July holiday weekend, suggesting a widespread operational pause.

The Bakken formation is North Dakota's primary oil-producing region, and rig count is a key leading indicator of future production activity. The zero-rig figure represents a temporary but total cessation of new well development.

Source

Live Rig Data, Historical Rig Count Context

rig countdrillingbakkennorth dakotaholiday shutdownoperators

Share this article

PostShareShareEmail

Related Articles

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota remained unchanged at 34 on Sunday, August 23, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The count showed no movement, with no new rigs added, removed, or relocated since Saturday. The current activity level represents a significant increase from recent lows. The rig count is up by two from the 32 rigs reported one week ago on August 16, and is up by ten from the 24 rigs active one month ago on July 24. While onshore shale activity in the Bakken holds steady, major international oil companies are pursuing high-risk, high-reward drilling projects in other basins. According to a report from OilPrice.com, Mexico's Pemex and Brazil's Petrobras have formed a partnership to drill prospects in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Mexico's coast. The companies are targeting source rock formations described as miles deeper and eight times...

🌅Afternoon Wire·Aug 23
North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34, Up 10 from July

North Dakota's active drilling rig count held steady at 34 on Sunday, with no rigs added, removed, or moved in the past 24 hours, according to live Bakken Wire data. The current count represents a two-rig increase from one week ago and a ten-rig jump from the 24 rigs active one month ago on July 24, 2026. The stability at a higher level follows a period of significant growth, underscoring increased operator confidence. According to a recent state briefing, the count had reached 33 rigs earlier in the week, up from 26 in mid-July. Nathan Anderson, director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, highlighted the importance of this expansion during an Aug. 20 media briefing, Yahoo Finance reported. "We have seven additional rigs in the basin this month that we didn't have just 30 days ago, and that's important," Anderson said. The recent rig count increase has been...

☀️Morning Wire·Aug 23
North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34 as Multi-Week Expansion Continues - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Holds at 34 as Multi-Week Expansion Continues

North Dakota's active drilling rig count held steady at 34 on Saturday, August 22, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The count showed no daily change, with zero new rigs added, zero rigs removed, and no rigs moving location. Despite the static daily figure, the current activity level represents a sustained multi-week expansion in the Williston Basin. The rig count is up by two from the 32 rigs active one week ago on August 15, and has risen by nine rigs, or over 36%, from the 25 rigs operating one month ago on July 23. The broader uptick in drilling coincides with an improvement in the state's oil production, according to a recent report. A source from Bing News, published August 20, noted that North Dakota's oil production numbers continue to improve amid higher oil prices resulting from an ongoing U.S. war with Iran. The state relies heavily on...

🌅Afternoon Wire·Aug 22