North America added three rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was published on May 15.
Although the total U.S. rig count increased by three week on week, the total Canada rig count stayed flat during the same period, pushing the total North America rig count up to 675, comprising 551 rigs from the U.S. and 124 rigs from Canada, the count outlined.
Of the total U.S. rig count of 551, 531 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 17 are categorized as offshore rigs, and three are categorized as inland water rigs. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 415 oil rigs, 128 gas rigs, and eight miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 484 horizontal rigs, 52 directional rigs, and 10 vertical rigs.
Week on week, the U.S. land rig count increased by four, its offshore rig count dropped by one, and its inland water rig count remained unchanged, Baker Hughes highlighted. The U.S. oil rig count rose by five week on week, while the country’s gas rig count dropped by one and its miscellaneous rig count also dropped by one, the count showed. The U.S. horizontal rig count rose by three week on week, the country’s directional rig count rose by two week on week, and its vertical rig count dropped by two during the same period, the count revealed.
A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, Texas added five rigs, New Mexico and Oklahoma each added one rig, Louisiana dropped three rigs, and Pennsylvania cut one rig.
A major basin variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, the Permian added four rigs, while the Haynesville dropped two rigs and the Marcellus, Eagle Ford, DJ-Niobrara, and Cana Woodford basins each dropped one rig.
Canada’s total rig count of 124 is made up of 76 oil rigs and 48 gas rigs, Baker Hughes pointed out. Week on week, the country’s oil rig count dropped by one and its gas rig count rose by one, the count revealed.
The total North America rig count is down 22 rigs compared to year ago levels, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which showed that the U.S. has cut 25 rigs and Canada has added three rigs, year on year. The U.S. has dropped 50 oil rigs and added 20 gas rigs and five miscellaneous rigs, while Canada has added two oil rigs and one gas rig, year on year, the count outlined.
In its previous rig count, which was published on May 8, Baker Hughes showed that North America added two rigs week on week. The total U.S. rig count increased by one week on week and the total Canada rig count also rose by one during the same period, that count showed.
Baker Hughes’s May 1 rig count showed that North America dropped four rigs week on week and its April 24 rig count showed that North America added one rig week on week. Prior to this, Baker Hughes’ rig counts showed a spate of weekly losses.
The company’s April 17 rig count revealed that North America dropped seven rigs week on week, its April 10 rig count showed that North America dropped 10 rigs week on week, its April 2 rig count revealed that North America dropped six rigs week on week, its 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, and its February 27 rig count showed that North America dropped 11 rigs week on week.
Baker Hughes’ 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 672 in May 2026. The last time a Baker Hughes monthly rig count figure was lower than this was in September 2021, Baker Hughes data showed.
Monthly rig count summary figures in Baker Hughes’ latest count outlined that the North America rig count stood at 679 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.
The data outlined that, in 2022, the North America rig count stood at 935 in December, 980 in November, 981 in October, 973 in September, 965 in August, 943 in July, 880 in June, 811 in May, 796 in April, 846 in March, 856 in February, and 791 in January. In 2021, the North America rig count stood at 729 in December, 726 in November, 704 in October, 661 in September, 657 in August, 628 in July, 568 in June, 512 in May, 494 in April, 516 in March, 568 in February, and 530 in January, the data outlined.
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.