North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 25

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota increased by one to 25 on Thursday, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The addition marks a reversal after the state's rig count fell by one over the previous week.

The sole new rig added was deployed by Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC. The company started drilling with the Nabors x24 rig at location 149-100-33 in McKenzie County, the core of the Bakken formation.

Despite the daily gain, drilling activity remains below levels seen earlier in the summer. The current count of 25 rigs is down one from the 26 rigs active one week ago on July 16, 2026. The longer-term trend shows a more significant pullback, with the state's rig fleet down three from the 28 rigs reported one month ago on June 23.

The rig count is a key leading indicator of future oil production in the Bakken. Operators adjust their drilling pace in response to commodity prices, operational efficiency gains, and capital spending plans. The recent decline from 28 to 25 rigs over the past month suggests some operators have tempered their activity.

McKenzie County consistently hosts the majority of North Dakota's drilling rigs due to its high-density resource potential. Hess is a major operator in the region and its decision to add a rig will be closely watched by service companies and royalty owners for signals of sustained activity.

The overall trend of a moderated rig count aligns with a period where many public operators emphasize capital discipline and shareholder returns over pure volume growth. However, the day's increase shows that drilling continues selectively on high-graded locations.