US Drilling Activity Falls 9 Rigs to 543
The US rig count fell by 9 rigs week-over-week to 543 active units. Oil-directed rigs total 552 (102%), with 592 gas-directed rigs. The Permian leads with 241 rigs (44.4% of total).
Total Active Rigs
As of March 27, 2026
Oil-Directed Rigs
As of March 27, 2026
Gas-Directed Rigs
As of March 27, 2026
12-Month Rig Count History
Rig Count by Basin
Basin Rig Count Breakdown
Basin | Total Rigs | Oil Rigs | Gas Rigs | WoW Change | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permian | 241 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 44.4% |
| Haynesville | 55 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 10.1% |
| Eagle Ford | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7% |
| Williston | 30 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 5.5% |
| Marcellus | 25 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 4.6% |
| Cana Woodford | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.2% |
| Granite Wash | 14 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2.6% |
| Utica | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2% |
| Dj Niobrara | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7% |
| Barnett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2% |
Explore Rig Count by Basin
Permian Basin
Texas, New Mexico
Bakken Formation
North Dakota, Montana
Eagle Ford Shale
Texas
Haynesville Shale
Louisiana, Texas
Marcellus Shale
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio
Niobrara Formation
Colorado, Wyoming
Anadarko Basin
Oklahoma, Texas
Appalachian Basin
Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia
Barnett Shale
Texas
Cana Woodford Shale
Oklahoma
DJ-Niobrara Basin
Colorado, Wyoming
Granite Wash Formation
Texas, Oklahoma
Utica Shale
Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Williston Basin
North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota
Rig Count by State
State Rig Count Breakdown
State | Code | Rigs | WoW | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | TX | 231 | -2 | 42.5% |
| New Mexico | NM | 102 | 0 | 18.8% |
| Oklahoma | OK | 44 | -2 | 8.1% |
| Louisiana | LA | 39 | -1 | 7.2% |
| North Dakota | ND | 28 | +1 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | PA | 18 | -2 | 3.3% |
| Wyoming | WY | 15 | 0 | 2.8% |
| Ohio | OH | 11 | 0 | 2.0% |
| Colorado | CO | 11 | -1 | 2.0% |
| West Virginia | WV | 8 | 0 | 1.5% |
Access This Data via API
Access real-time rig count data programmatically. Weekly updates from Baker Hughes with basin and state breakdowns.
/v1/ei/rig_counts/latestcurl -X GET "https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1/ei/rig_counts/latest"
Sample Response
{
"data": {
"total_count": 543,
"oil_rigs": 552,
"gas_rigs": 592,
"week_over_week_change": -9,
"report_date": "2026-03-27"
},
"meta": {
"source": "Baker Hughes",
"updated_at": "2026-03-28T14:00:51Z"
}
}Frequently Asked Questions About Rig Count
The Baker Hughes rig count is a weekly census of active drilling rigs in the United States. It tracks oil-directed, gas-directed, and miscellaneous rigs across all major basins. The count is released every Friday at 1:00 PM ET and serves as a leading indicator for future oil and gas production.
The US rig count is updated weekly, typically released on Friday afternoons. Baker Hughes, an oilfield services company, compiles the data by counting active rotary rigs exploring for or developing oil or gas.
A rising rig count generally signals increased future production, which could put downward pressure on oil prices if supply outpaces demand. However, the relationship is complex — higher prices often precede rig additions as drilling becomes more economical.
The Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico consistently leads the US in active rig count, typically accounting for 40-50% of all US drilling activity. Its prolific oil reserves and favorable economics make it the dominant US oil-producing region.
Oil rigs target crude oil formations, while gas rigs drill for natural gas. The Baker Hughes count separates these categories because they respond to different price signals — oil rigs track crude prices while gas rigs respond to natural gas prices.