North Dakota Rig Count Rises to 37, Kicks Off New Well in Williams County

North Dakota's active drilling rig count rose by one on Tuesday to 37, according to live rig data monitored by Bakken Wire.

The net increase resulted from one new rig commencing operations, with no rigs taken offline. Additionally, one rig moved to a new location within the oil-producing region.

The new addition is a rig operated by Kraken Operating, LLC, identified as T&S Drilling 1. It has started work at the 158-100-17 location in Williams County. In a separate move, Phoenix Operating LLC relocated its T&S Drilling 2 rig to the 146-98-32 site in McKenzie County.

The current count of 37 rigs represents an increase from 34 rigs one week ago on October 13, and is up by five rigs compared to a month ago on September 20, when the state's active fleet stood at 32.

The steady rise in drilling activity coincides with a reported acceleration in well completions across the state. According to a Reuters report citing state officials, U.S. oil and gas companies are speeding up well completions and boosting production in North Dakota, encouraged by high crude prices. The state is the nation's third-largest oil producer.

This trend of increasing rigs and completions suggests operators are responding to favorable market conditions by working to bring more wells online. The movement of rigs between locations is a routine part of ongoing development programs in the core Bakken and Three Forks formations of Williams and McKenzie counties.

The rig count is a closely watched indicator of near-term drilling activity and capital expenditure in the basin. The current level of 37 rigs, while up from recent lows, remains well below the historical peaks seen in previous boom cycles.