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North American oil and gas rig counts show mixed activity
North American drilling activity remained relatively stable for the week ending October 23, 2026, according to Baker Hughes data. The total rig count in North America rose by three to 823 units, an increase of 74 compared to the same period last year.
In Canada, the rig count increased by three to 220. This total includes 150 oil-directed rigs, up two from the previous week, and 65 gas-directed rigs, which remained unchanged. This represents an increase of 21 rigs compared to last year.
The United States rig count held steady at 603, marking the third consecutive week without change and maintaining a 17-month high. This is 53 more rigs than the same week in 2025. Within the U.S., oil-directed rigs increased by one to 460, while gas-directed rigs decreased by one to 132.
Regional activity in the U.S. showed varied results: New Mexico added two rigs to reach 98, and Louisiana added one to reach 41. Conversely, Utah, Texas, and Colorado each saw a decrease of two or one rigs respectively.
Entities
Baker Hughes · Canada · EIA · New Mexico · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Canada's rig count rose to 220 units. www.ogj.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] U.S. crude oil production averaged 13.269 million bpd during the week ending October 16. oilprice.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The U.S. rig count is 53 units higher than the same time last year. www.steelmarketupdate.com · www.ogj.com · oilprice.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The total North American rig count was 823 for the week ending October 23, 2026. www.ogj.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] New Mexico saw the largest increase in rigs with 98 running. www.ogj.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] U.S. gas-directed rigs decreased by one to 132. www.ogj.com · oilprice.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The U.S. rig count remained unchanged at 603 rigs. www.steelmarketupdate.com · www.ogj.com · oilprice.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] U.S. oil-directed rigs increased by one to 460. www.ogj.com · oilprice.com