The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States rose this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday, bringing the total rig count in the US to 573, up 26 from this same time last year. The number of active oil rigs rose by 7 to 440 during the latest reporting period, according to the data. This is 8 above this same time last year. The number of gas rigs rose by 3 to 125, which is 16 more than this time last year.
The miscellaneous rig stayed the same at 8. The latest EIA data showed that weekly…
Industry Background
Upstream activity across major producing basins continues to reflect the balance between capital discipline and the operational pressures of sustaining output. U.S. shale plays — particularly the Permian Basin — remain the swing producer of last resort in global markets, with rig count data serving as a leading indicator for future production volumes.
Exploration and production companies are increasingly focusing on high-return, low-breakeven assets, prioritizing inventory depth in proven basins over frontier exploration spending as investor expectations for free cash flow generation remain elevated.
What to Watch
Market participants will be monitoring rig count trends, quarterly earnings guidance from major E&P operators, and any production adjustment announcements from OPEC+ members for signals on near-term supply trajectory.
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