The U.S. rig count increased by 10 in the last week to a total of 632 as of Oct. 13, according to Enverus Rig Analytics, after reaching a YTD high of 639 earlier in the week. The count is up almost 5% in the last month and up 95% in the last year.
The Permian Basin led the way, adding seven rigs in the last week to reach 241, while Appalachia gained four rigs for a total of 48 and the Gulf Coast added three rigs for 75. The Williston Basin had the largest drop, losing three rigs week over week to 26.
The most active operators in the U.S. are currently Pioneer Natural Resources with 24 rigs, EOG Resources with 19, Mewbourne Oil Co. and Devon Energy with 18 each, and ConocoPhillips and Continental Resources with 17 each.
Pioneer’s one-rig gain came from an added rig in the Midland Basin. EOG also added two rigs in the Permian for a total of 13—its highest level in the region since June—but dropped one rig each from the Gulf Coast (five) and Powder River Basin (one). Mewbourne also added one rig in the Delaware (14), while the rest of the top operators were unchanged week to week.
Only two operators added or dropped more than one rig over the last week, both of them privately held. Carmen Schmitt Inc. brought two rigs on in the Anadarko and the Salina. Val Energy Inc. dropped both of its rigs in the Anadarko and the Cherokee Platform.
