North America Adds Rigs For 3 Straight Weeks

North America added six rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was released on September 19.

The U.S. and Canada each added three rigs week on week, taking the total North America rig count up to 731, comprising 542 rigs from the U.S. and 189 rigs from Canada, the count outlined.

Of the total U.S. rig count of 542, 527 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 13 are categorized as offshore rigs, and two are categorized as inland water rigs. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 418 oil rigs, 118 gas rigs, and six miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 473 horizontal rigs, 58 directional rigs, and 11 vertical rigs.

Week on week, the U.S. offshore and inland water rig counts remained unchanged and the country’s land rig count increased by three, Baker Hughes highlighted. The U.S. oil rig count increased by two and its miscellaneous rig count rose by one, while its gas rig count remained unchanged week on week, the count showed. The U.S. directional and horizontal rig counts each increased by two, week on week, and the country’s vertical rig count dropped by one during the same period, the count revealed.

A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, Colorado and Wyoming each added two rigs. Texas dropped two rigs and Louisiana dropped one rig week on week, the count revealed. A major basin variances subcategory included in Baker Hughes’ rig count showed that, week on week, the DJ-Niobrara basin added two rigs, the Granite Wash basin added one rig, and the Barnett basin dropped one rig.

Canada’s total rig count of 189 is made up of 128 oil rigs, 60 gas rigs, and one miscellaneous rig, Baker Hughes pointed out. Week on week, the country’s oil rig count increased by two, its gas rig count increased by one, and its miscellaneous rig count remained unchanged, the count revealed.

The total North America rig count is down 68 rigs compared to year ago levels, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which showed that the U.S. has cut 46 rigs and Canada has cut 22 rigs, year on year. The U.S. has dropped 70 oil rigs and added 22 gas rigs and two miscellaneous rigs, while Canada has dropped 16 oil rigs and six gas rigs, year on year, the count outlined.

In a research note sent to Rigzone by the JPM Commodities Research team on Monday morning, analysts at J.P. Morgan noted that “drilling activity across U.S. oil basins has edged higher in recent weeks, with notable gains in the Niobrara”.

“Rig counts in the basin reached 21 this week (+3 week on week), supported by a strong wave of permits issued from July through September,” they added.

“That momentum faded later in the year, with drilling permits falling sharply: 125 permits were issued in Q1, dropping to 41 in Q2, before accelerating again in Q3. This suggests that Niobrara growth will remain modest in the near term,” they continued.

The analysts went on to state in the research note that, “at the national level, U.S. crude output has stayed resilient”.

“Between January and August 2025, production averaged close to 300,000 barrels per day vs year-ago levels for the same period. Sequential gains are expected to slow in the September-December period, but annualized increases should still be near 230,000 barrels per day,” they added.

“Importantly, permitting data show no sign of a significant pullback in operator activity. In the Permian, permit volumes over January-August were six percent higher than a year earlier, with the Delaware basin particularly strong, while Midland activity eased only slightly in August,” they said.

“We observe no signs of a slowdown in activity,” the J.P. Morgan analysts continued.

The analysts also highlighted in the research note that, “according to Rystad Energy data, output in the Permian Basin remains resilient, thanks to the widespread adoption of extended-reach laterals up to 3.5-4 miles”.

“In 2024, there were 51 such completions, but in 2025, they are expected to increase to around 240, or about 25 percent of all Permian ultra-long completions,” they stated.

“Early results show that 3.5- to 4-mile laterals typically deliver efficiency gains of roughly 10 percent in drilling and completion costs per foot,” the analysts said.

In its previous rig count, which was released on September 12, Baker Hughes revealed that North America added seven rigs week on week. The U.S. added one rig and Canada added six rigs week on week, that count showed. Baker Hughes’ September 5 rig count also revealed that North America added seven rigs week on week.

In its August 29 rig count, Baker Hughes showed that North America cut seven rigs week on week. The company’s August 22 rig count showed that North America cut four rigs week on week, its August 15 rig count revealed that North America added three rigs week on week, and its August 8 rig count revealed that North America added two rigs week on week.

Baker Hughes’ August 1 rig count showed that North America dropped seven rigs week on week, its July 25 rig count revealed that North America added eight rigs week on week, its July 18 count showed that North America added 17 rigs week on week, its July 11 rig count showed that North America added nine rigs week on week, and its July 3 count highlighted that North America added three rigs week on week.

In its June 27 rig count, Baker Hughes revealed that North America dropped six rigs week on week. The company’s June 20 rig count showed that the total North America rig count remained unchanged week on week, its June 13 rig count showed that North America added 20 rigs week on week, and its June 6 rig count showed that North America cut two rigs week on week.

Baker Hughes’ May 30 rig count revealed that North America dropped five rigs week on week, its May 23 count showed that North America dropped 17 rigs week on week, and its May 16 rig count showed that North America added five rigs week on week. The company’s May 9 rig count revealed that North America cut 12 rigs week on week, its May 2 count revealed that North America dropped 11 rigs week on week, and its April 25 count showed that North America dropped four rigs week on week.

Baker Hughes’ April 17 count showed that North America dropped two rigs week on week, its April 11 rig count revealed that North America cut 22 rigs week on week, the company’s April 4 rig count showed that North America cut 12 rigs week on week, its March 28 count revealed that North America cut 18 rigs week on week, and its March 21 rig count also revealed that North America cut 18 rigs week on week. Baker Hughes’ March 14 count showed that North America dropped 35 rigs week on week and its March 7 rig count revealed North America cut 15 rigs week on week.

In its February 28 rig count, Baker Hughes showed that North America added five rigs week on week. Its February 21 count revealed that North America added three rigs week on week, its February 14 rig count showed that North America dropped two rigs week on week, and its January 31 rig count showed that North America added 19 rigs week on week.

The company’s January 24 rig count revealed that North America added 12 rigs week on week, its January 17 count showed that North America added nine rigs week on week, and its January 10 rig count outlined that North America added 117 rigs week on week.

Baker Hughes’ January 3 rig count revealed that North America dropped one rig week on week and its December 27 rig count showed that North America dropped 71 rigs week on week.

Baker Hughes, which has issued rotary rig counts since 1944, describes the figures as an important business barometer for the drilling industry and its suppliers. The company notes that working rig location information is provided in part by Enverus.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com