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North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 28 - Bakken Wire
Rig Report

North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 28

Devon Energy adds a new drilling rig in McKenzie County as the state's active fleet grows by five over the last month.

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·

North Dakota's active drilling rig count increased by one to 28 on Friday, June 5, 2026, according to live data from Bakken Wire. The increase follows a net loss of two rigs over the previous week.

The sole new rig reported is operated by Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C. The rig, NABORS B 13, is located in McKenzie County.

The current count of 28 rigs represents a notable increase from activity levels one month prior. On May 6, 2026, the state reported 23 active drilling rigs, meaning the fleet has grown by five rigs over the past four weeks. However, the count is down by two rigs from the total of 30 reported on May 29, 2026.

The rig addition in North Dakota aligns with a broader, albeit modest, uptick in U.S. drilling activity. According to data from Baker Hughes published by OilPrice.com, the total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States rose this week. The national count reached 563, which is up 4 from the same time last year. The number of active oil rigs specifically rose by 2 to 431.

The report from OilPrice.com noted that oil prices were down on Friday, with WTI trading at $91.47 per barrel. It also cited the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration data showing weekly U.S. crude oil production averaged 13.707 million barrels per day for the week ending May 29, down slightly from the previous week but up 299,000 barrels per day from a year ago.

The incremental growth in North Dakota's rig fleet occurs as state officials promote the potential for a sustained production resurgence. According to a summary from Bing News, North Dakota is chasing a second Bakken boom through enhanced recovery techniques. State officials argue that as much as 85% of the resource remains trapped and could spark a new production boom.

The focus on recovering more oil from existing fields may influence operator strategies even as they deploy new drilling rigs. The Bakken formation remains North Dakota's primary oil-producing region, with McKenzie County consistently being a core area of operations.

Source

Bakken Wire live rig data, OilPrice.com, Bing News summary

rig countdrillingdevon energymckenzie countybakkenproduction

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