North Dakota Oilfield Activity Outlook
Investing.com reported on 20‑08‑2026 at 10:56 pm that oilfield activity in North Dakota is expected to rise in the second half of the year as operators add rigs and speed up completions to take advantage of elevated oil prices, according to the state Department of Mineral Resources.
The department’s data show that the rig count increased to 33 in August, up from 26 in July, indicating a sharp short‑term expansion.
Higher oil prices are attributed to an impasse in the Iran war and ongoing disruptions to Middle Eastern supply, which have kept crude prices at elevated levels.
Justin Kringstad, executive director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, told Reuters that operators are not moving rigs to drill DUC (drilled‑but‑uncompleted) wells for later completion, but he expects increases in completions and activity in the second half of 2026.
Nathan Anderson, director of the Department of Mineral Resources, added that the rapid rig‑count rise reflects operators exploiting either a short‑term price spike or confidence that an $80‑per‑barrel price environment will persist a little longer.
U.S. crude futures for March delivery were trading around $78 per barrel, while Bakken oil delivered at Clearbrook, Minnesota carried a $4.39 per barrel premium to those futures.
The article notes that it was generated with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.