North Dakota rig count steady at 37 after four-rig monthly gain

Active rigs in North Dakota totaled 37 on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, according to the rig activity data. The count was unchanged from the previous day, with no new rigs added, no rigs removed and no rigs moving location.

The flat daily movement extended a one-week pause in drilling activity. The rig count stood at 37 on Nov. 2, the same number reported seven days later, according to the historical context in the data.

The steady weekly reading follows a modest expansion over the past month. North Dakota had 33 active rigs on Oct. 10, meaning the count is up four rigs from that date, according to the rig data.

For Bakken operators, a stable rig count often provides a clearer picture of current drilling programs than a single day’s change. The data shows no signs of immediate rig additions or departures, while still leaving activity above the month-earlier level. The four-rig increase from Oct. 10 to Nov. 9 is a small change in a basin that is North Dakota’s primary oil-producing region.

For royalty owners, rig counts are closely watched because drilling activity can lead to completions and new production. The Monday data did not include information on completions, well locations or operator plans, so the rig count alone does not show whether the 37 active rigs are drilling new wells, moving between sites or completing existing programs.

The only related industry headline provided with the rig data was an international drilling policy story. Rigzone reported Nov. 6 that UK cabinet ministers are lobbying Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh to approve drilling at the Rosebank oil and gas field in the North Sea. That decision concerns UK permitting and does not report North Dakota rig activity or Bakken operator plans.

The Rosebank story is separate from North Dakota activity. Rigzone reported ministers are lobbying for approval, but the source did not say that drilling at Rosebank has been approved.

In Williston Basin activity reporting, rig counts are often used as a near-term gauge of drilling pace. They do not by themselves show production volumes, well spacing or the number of rigs preparing to spud. The Monday data provided only rig counts and movements, not operator names or lease details.

The data also showed zero rigs moved location, meaning the count reflects no repositioning within the state’s reported rig population.

North Dakota’s rig count therefore enters the week with no day-over-day movement and no change from the previous week. The trend line remains modestly higher than the month earlier, up from 33 rigs on Oct. 10.