North America Loses Rigs For 7 Straight Weeks

North America dropped 10 rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was published on April 10.

The total U.S. rig count decreased by three week on week and the total Canada rig count dropped by seven during the same period, pushing the total North America rig count down to 680, comprising 545 rigs from the U.S. and 135 rigs from Canada, the count outlined.

Of the total U.S. rig count of 545, 530 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 14 are categorized as offshore rigs, and one is categorized as an inland water rig. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 411 oil rigs, 127 gas rigs, and seven miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 483 horizontal rigs, 50 directional rigs, and 12 vertical rigs.

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

A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, New Mexico and Oklahoma each dropped two rigs, North Dakota, Texas, and Utah each dropped one rig, Louisiana added three rigs, and Wyoming added one rig.

A major basin variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, the Cana Woodford basin dropped three rigs, the Eagle Ford basin dropped two rigs, and the Arkoma Woodford and Williston basins each dropped one rig. This subcategory showed that the Granite Wash basin added two rigs week on week and that the Ardmore Woodford basin added one rig week on week.

Canada’s total rig count of 135 is made up of 83 oil rigs and 52 gas rigs, Baker Hughes pointed out. Week on week, the country’s oil rig count dropped by five and its gas rig count decreased by two, the count revealed.

The total North America rig count is down 41 rigs compared to year ago levels, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which showed that the U.S. has cut 38 rigs and Canada has cut three rigs, year on year. The U.S. has dropped 61 oil rigs and added 22 gas rigs and one miscellaneous rig, while Canada has dropped eight oil rigs and added five gas rigs, year on year, the count outlined.

In its previous rig count, which was published on April 2, Baker Hughes revealed that North America dropped six rigs week on week. Although the total U.S. rig count increased by five week on week, the total Canada rig count dropped by 11 during the same period, that count showed.

Baker Hughes’ March 27 rig count revealed that North America dropped 33 rigs week on week, its March 20 rig count outlined that North America dropped 21 rigs week on week, its March 13 count showed that North America dropped six rigs week on week, its March 6 rig count showed that North America dropped eight rigs week on week, its February 27 rig count showed that North America dropped 11 rigs week on week, and its February 20 rig count showed that North America added two rigs week on week.

According to monthly rig count summary figures in Baker Hughes’ latest count, the North America rig count stood at 685 in April 2026, 733 in March 2026, 773 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