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North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 24 with Three New Additions - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 24 with Three New Additions

Activity net increases by one rig as Devon, Enerplus, and Continental deploy new drills in Williams County.

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·

North Dakota's active drilling rig count rose to 24 on Tuesday, a net increase of one rig from the previous day, according to live Bakken Wire data. Three new rigs were deployed while two were removed from operation.

The new additions were all concentrated in Williams County. Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C. spudded the NABORS B 13 at location 154-102-6. Enerplus Resources USA Corporation added the PATTERSON 806 at 157-99-11. Continental Resources, Inc. deployed the NOBLE 4 at 155-95-2.

Two rigs were removed from the field. Marlo Operating Company, LLC's STONEHAM 16 was released from location 129-103-19 in Bowman County. XTO Energy Inc.'s H & P 429 was released from 154-96-10 in Williams County. No rigs were reported as having moved locations.

The current count of 24 rigs holds steady compared to one week ago on June 30, 2026. However, activity remains down by three rigs from the level of 27 active rigs recorded one month ago on June 7.

The state's flat weekly trend mirrors a broader North American pattern. According to Rigzone, North America's overall rig count stayed flat week on week, according to Baker Hughes' latest North America rotary rig count published Tuesday. The report noted this ended a streak of weekly additions.

The concentration of new activity in Williams County underscores its continued status as the core of the Bakken play. The removal of a rig from the less-active Bowman County reflects typical operational adjustments by smaller operators.

The rig count is a key leading indicator for future oil production in the Bakken formation. A stable count near current levels suggests operators are maintaining a disciplined pace of development drilling. Major operators like Continental Resources and Devon Energy continue to anchor the state's drilling program.

Source

Bakken Wire live rig data, Rigzone

rig countdrillingwilliams countydevon energyenerpluscontinental resourcesxto energymarlo operating

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