North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 26 with Two New Permits

North Dakota's active drilling rig count rose to 26 on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, an increase of two from the previous day, according to live rig data from Bakken Wire. No rigs were removed or moved location.

The new activity includes a rig for PETRO-HUNT, L.L.C., the T&S DRILLING 2, located at 144-98-17 in Billings County. MUREX PETROLEUM CORPORATION also added a rig, the H & P 515, at 157-95-29 in Williams County.

The current count of 26 rigs represents a slight increase from one week prior, when 25 rigs were active on July 8, 2026. However, activity remains down from a month ago, when 28 rigs were operating on June 15, 2026.

Global Shift in Energy Integration Separately, a technological development highlights a broader industry trend toward integrating alternative energy with hydrocarbon production. According to a report from OilPrice.com, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has launched the world's first 16-megawatt tension-leg platform (TLP) floating offshore wind turbine. The unit, named "Heart of the Sea Wind," set sail in late June 2026 and is destined for the Lufeng oil fields in the South China Sea.

The floating turbine, standing approximately 307 meters tall and weighing up to 8,000 tonnes, is designed to generate an average of 54 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This clean power will be routed via subsea cables directly to the offshore oilfield cluster. The project is expected to save about 15,000 cubic meters of fuel oil and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 35,000 tonnes per year that would otherwise be used for power generation on the platforms.

The U.S. Department of Energy notes that about two-thirds of U.S. offshore wind energy potential exists in waters too deep for fixed-bottom foundations, requiring floating platforms like this new TLP design. China is the global leader in offshore wind capacity, accounting for 78% of newly grid-connected offshore wind capacity worldwide in 2025, according to the OilPrice.com report.

While this specific technology is deployed offshore, the push for operational efficiency and lower-carbon production is a universal theme in the oil and gas sector. The day's rig additions in the Bakken come amid this wider industry context of technological innovation aimed at sustaining production while managing environmental and economic factors.