North America Adds Rigs Week on Week

North America added two rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was published on February 20.

The total U.S. rig count remained unchanged week on week and the total Canada rig count rose by two during the same period, pushing the total North America rig count up to 775, comprising 551 rigs from the U.S. and 224 rigs from Canada, the count outlined.

Of the total U.S. rig count of 551, 530 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 18 are categorized as offshore rigs, and three are categorized as inland water rigs. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 409 oil rigs, 133 gas rigs, and nine miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 483 horizontal rigs, 55 directional rigs, and 13 vertical rigs.

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

A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, Alaska added two rigs, Texas added one rig, Louisiana dropped two rigs, and New Mexico dropped one rig. A major basin variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, the Permian basin added one rig.

Canada’s total rig count of 222 is made up of 153 oil rigs and 71 gas rigs, Baker Hughes pointed out. Week on week, the country’s gas rig count rose by two, and its oil and miscellaneous rig counts remained unchanged, the count revealed.

The total North America rig count is down 61 rigs compared to year ago levels, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which showed that the U.S. has cut 41 rigs and Canada has cut 20 rigs, year on year. The U.S. has dropped 79 oil rigs and added 34 gas rigs and four miscellaneous rigs, while Canada has dropped 21 oil rigs and added one gas rig, year on year, the count outlined.

In a J.P. Morgan report sent to Rigzone by the JPM Commodities Research team on Saturday, analysts at J.P. Morgan noted that “total U.S. oil and gas rigs remained unchanged this week at 551, according to Baker Hughes”.

“Oil focused rigs remained unchanged at 409, after decreasing by three rigs the previous week. Meanwhile, natural gas-focused rigs also remained unchanged at 133, following an increase of three rigs last week,” they added.

“The rig count in the five major tight oil basins – we use the EIA [U.S. Energy Information Administration] basin definition – increased by one to 385 rigs, while the count in the two major tight gas basins remained unchanged at 95. Miscellaneous rigs remained unchanged at nine rigs,” they continued.

In the report, the J.P. Morgan analysts said U.S. oil rig activity “remains broadly stable, with freeze-offs now behind us and supply nearly fully recovered”.

“Despite a significant month on month loss of 360,000 barrels per day in January, year on year growth was still strong at 253,000 barrels per day,” they said.

Looking ahead, the J.P. Morgan analysts estimated in the report that February’s year on year growth could exceed 370,000 barrels per day.

“Permian permit issuance surged in January, with Midland permits up 126 MoM and Delaware (TX) up 97 MoM, marking one of the strongest monthly increases in recent quarters,” the analysts highlighted in the report.

The analysts said the pickup likely reflects the supportive price environment that has persisted since mid-January.

“Higher realized prices appear to have encouraged operators to secure drilling optionality while economics remain favorable,” they noted.

“While we do not expect the current price strength to persist at these levels for an extended period, the improved backdrop should provide near-term support to drilling plans,” they added.

“Given the typical lag between permits and activity, this could translate into a modest uplift in drilling over the next few months. That said, we continue to expect overall activity growth to remain measured as companies maintain capital discipline,” they went on to state.

In its previous count, which was published on February 13, Baker Hughes showed that North America dropped six rigs week on week. The total U.S. rig count remained unchanged week on week and the total Canada rig count dropped by six during the same period, that count showed.

Baker Hughes’ February 6 count revealed that North America added one rig week on week, its January 30 rig count showed that North America added three rigs week on week, its January 23 rig count showed that North America added six rigs week on week, and its January 16 rig count showed that North America added 28 rigs week on week.

According to monthly rig count summary figures in Baker Hughes’ latest count, the North America rig count stood at 776 in February 2026, 742 in January 2026, and 718 in December 2025. The latest count outlined that the North America rig count stood at 739 in November 2025, 741 in October 2025, 728 in September 2025, 717 in August 2025, 707 in July 2025, 687 in June 2025, 690 in May 2025, 725 in April 2025, 786 in March 2025, 836 in February 2025, and 791 in January 2025.

Archived Baker Hughes data, which Rigzone was directed to by the Baker Hughes team, outlined that the North America rig count stood at 751 in December 2024, 789 in November 2024, 804 in October, September, and August 2024, 779 in July 2024, 750 in June 2024, 722 in May 2024, 748 in April 2024, 822 in March 2024, 855 in February 2024, and 818 in January 2024.

This data outlined that, in 2023, the North America rig count stood at 784 in December, 816 in November, 814 in October, 819 in September, 836 in August, 858 in July, 832 in June, 817 in May, 861 in April, 948 in March, 1,006 in February, and 998 in January. 

Going further back, this data outlined that, in 2020, the North America rig count stood at 432 in December, 405 in November, 361 in October, 316 in September, 303 in August, 288 in July, 292 in June, 371 in May, 598 in April, 904 in March, 1,039 in February, and 996 in January. 

Baker Hughes states on its site that it has issued rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Baker Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of U.S. and Canadian drilling activity. On its site, the company describes the figures as “an important business barometer for the drilling industry and its suppliers”. The company notes on its site that working rig location information is provided in part by Enverus.

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