Where the Rigs Are Running: U.S. Drilling Activity Holds Steady Gains as Texas Dominates

The latest snapshot of U.S. oil and gas drilling activity shows a modest but meaningful uptick, with 595 active rigs nationwide for the week ended September 18. That’s a gain of four rigs from the prior week and 53 more than the same period a year earlier, according to the map and data circulating across the industry.

Texas continues to lead by a wide margin with 283 rigs, far ahead of every other state. New Mexico follows with 95, Oklahoma with 51, Louisiana with 35, and North Dakota with 31. Wyoming and Pennsylvania each show 15, Alaska has 12, and Hawaii sits at zero. The color-coded map makes the concentration clear: the bulk of activity remains clustered in the major producing basins of the Southwest and Rockies, with large swaths of the country showing little to no drilling.

Oil-directed rigs accounted for the majority of the fleet, while gas and miscellaneous units made up the balance. The national frac spread count—measuring active completion crews—stood at 187.

The weekly increase of four and the year-over-year rise of 53 reflect continued, measured activity rather than a sharp surge. Operators appear to be adding iron selectively in established plays, particularly in the Permian (which accounts for a large share of the Texas and New Mexico totals) and other key basins. The data underscores the enduring concentration of U.S. drilling in a handful of states that drive the bulk of domestic production.

For The Crude Life audience, the picture is familiar: the industry is still running where the resource and infrastructure already exist. Texas remains the clear heavyweight, New Mexico is firmly in the second tier, and the rest of the lower 48 shows a more selective footprint. The modest weekly gain and solid year-over-year improvement suggest operators are responding to market conditions with discipline rather than rapid expansion.

As always, the rig count is a lagging indicator of activity already underway. The real story continues to play out in the basins themselves—efficiency gains, well performance, and how those 595 rigs and 187 frac spreads translate into actual production in the months ahead.