U.S. Weekly Rig Report: WellDatabase, Baker Hughes, and Enverus Compared — Record Production Meets Middle East Supply Shock

The latest WellDatabase U.S. Rig Report dated September 11, 2026, shows 598 active rigs, down 32 week-over-week but up 22 year-over-year. Baker Hughes, which released the same day, reported 591 rigs, up 3 from 588 the prior week and up about 52–54 from 537 a year earlier. Enverus’ daily GPS-tracked count stood near 661 as of September 6.

Different methodologies explain the spread. Baker Hughes is the traditional weekly rotary census (land, inland water, and offshore). Enverus captures a broader, higher-frequency set via GPS. WellDatabase cross-references Baker Hughes-style activity with permits and well records, delivering rich operator, basin, well-type, and wellbore detail. This week WellDatabase’s large drop is concentrated in North Dakota/Williston (–32) and vertical wells (–29), coinciding with large “undisclosed” reclassifications. It is best treated as a data adjustment rather than a sudden field shutdown; Baker Hughes and Enverus show stability to modest gains.

WellDatabase Snapshot: Permian Still Dominates

The 12-month rig-count chart in the WellDatabase report shows activity generally holding in the mid-to-high 500s to low 600s after earlier 2026 softness, with a recent modest pullback. The county heat map remains heavily concentrated in the Permian (West Texas and New Mexico) plus pockets in the Bakken, Haynesville, and Mid-Continent.Top basins (WellDatabase current week):

• Permian: 268 (+1 week-over-week, +14 year-over-year)
• Haynesville: 56 (–1, +17 YoY)
• Eagle Ford: 50 (flat, +11 YoY)
• Other: 100 (flat)
• Williston: 37 (–32, –31 YoY) — the standout swing, matching the North Dakota state drop from 66 to 34
• Cana Woodford: 21, Marcellus: 23, Granite Wash: 18, DJ-Niobrara: 11, Utica: 10

Top counties over the last 12 months include Eddy and Lea (New Mexico), plus Howard, Loving, Midland, Martin, Reeves, Upton, and Ward (Texas), and McKenzie (North Dakota).

Leading operators: Unknown (33), Continental Resources (24), Pioneer Natural Resources (20), Diamondback Energy and EOG Resources (17 each), Permian Resources (13), Mewbourne (12), Oxy (11), Apex Natural Gas and Chevron (10 each).By state: Texas 283 (+1), New Mexico 95 (flat), Oklahoma 51 (flat), Louisiana 35 (–1), North Dakota 34 (–32), Pennsylvania 15 (–1). Alaska holds 12.

Well type: Oil 425 (+2), Gas 130 (–2), Thermal 8. Horizontal wells still dominate at 512 (–2); verticals fell sharply to 42 (–29). Depth is concentrated in the 10–15k ft range (259 rigs).

Baker Hughes basin figures align closely on the majors: Permian 268 (flat), Haynesville 57 (+1), Eagle Ford 51 (+1), Williston 32 (+5). Oil-directed rigs rose 1 to 450 (+34 YoY); gas rigs rose 2 to 132 (+14 YoY); miscellaneous 9. Enverus (Sept. 6) showed Permian at 256, Williston 36, Anadarko 63, Gulf Coast/Eagle Ford area 70, and a large “Other” bucket.

Primary Vision frac-spread count fell for a fourth week to 178 crews (week ending Sept. 4), the lowest since May — a reminder that completions, not just drilling, determine near-term production response.

Storage, Production, and Exports: Tight but Balanced Commercial Stocks, Record Output

EIA’s Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week ending September 4 (released Sept. 10) showed commercial crude inventories (ex-SPR) at 424.1 million barrels, down 0.4 million barrels and roughly in line with the five-year seasonal average. SPR stocks continued to decline to about 285.4 million barrels. Cushing stocks were 21.8 million barrels, down 0.684 million. Total U.S. crude (commercial + SPR) drew.

Domestic crude production hit a new weekly record of 13.95 million barrels per day (up ~85,000 bpd), supported by Permian growth and Gulf of America projects. EIA’s latest STEO forecasts 2026 annual average production of 13.8 million bpd, a new yearly record. Refinery utilization remained very high at 97.8%, with crude inputs at 17.6 million bpd.

Crude exports dropped sharply to 3.417 million bpd from 4.483 million the prior week. Imports rose modestly to 6.8 million bpd. The export pullback limited the inventory draw. Four-week average imports were running above year-ago levels.

The combination — record output, high refinery runs, still-elevated (if volatile) exports, and commercial stocks near seasonal norms — points to a reasonably balanced U.S. physical market even as the SPR has been drawn down for months.

Oil Prices and Geopolitics: $100+ Oil Meets a Constrained U.S. Rig Fleet

WTI traded around $99.50–$100.10 on September 11 after a sharp weekly rally that took prices through $100 for the first time in months; Brent was near $104–$105. Both benchmarks were on track for an 8–13% weekly gain earlier in the session before Friday profit-taking. Prices have been highly volatile.

The driver is geopolitics, not U.S. rig activity. An ongoing U.S.–Iran confrontation has restricted Strait of Hormuz traffic (vessel transits far below normal). Iran-aligned Houthis have advanced in Yemen, seizing Mocha and threatening the Bab el-Mandeb. Attacks have hit Saudi energy infrastructure, including reports of strikes near the East-West pipeline; IEA data indicated a sharp drop in Saudi supply. Tanker attacks have occurred on both sides. Analysts describe a structural deficit in the second half of 2026 until flows normalize — an outcome that looks months away at best. Chinese buying has been a partial offset at times, but product markets (especially diesel) have tightened more than crude.

U.S. operators have not responded with a large rig surge. Counts have risen only modestly year-over-year despite oil prices that are now well above levels that previously supported higher activity. Efficiency gains, longer laterals, capital discipline, and a focus on returns over volume growth remain the industry’s playbook. The current fleet of roughly 590–660 rigs (depending on the source) plus high utilization and record production already represent a strong supply response. A 32-rig “drop” in one dataset does not change that picture.

Near-term risks cut both ways: further Middle East escalation or a Hormuz/Red Sea closure could send prices sharply higher and eventually pull more U.S. rigs; a diplomatic pause or demand destruction could reverse the rally. Completions (frac spreads) lagging drilling also means some drilled-but-uncompleted inventory may still be available.

The U.S. rig fleet is holding a productive, oil-weighted, Permian-heavy posture that is delivering record barrels even as global supply is disrupted. Watch next week’s Baker Hughes print, EIA inventories, and any change in Hormuz or Red Sea traffic for the next signal.