Permian Rig Count Climbs to Its Highest Level Since June 2025

Drilling in West Texas picked up again in early October, with the Permian Basin's rig count rising to its highest in more than a year.

Baker Hughes reported on Oct. 9 that U.S. energy firms added five rigs to reach 603, the fourth weekly gain in five weeks and the most since May 2024. Oil rigs rose by six to 462, the highest since May 2025, while gas rigs fell by one to 132. The Permian, which spans West Texas and eastern New Mexico, gained four rigs to 274, its highest since June 2025. The national count was 10% (56 rigs) above a year earlier.

Why drillers are adding

Rig counts fell in 2023, 2024 and 2025 as low prices pushed companies toward shareholder returns and debt repayment. Reuters noted that supply disruptions tied to the Iran war are now expected to lift WTI prices in 2026 for the first time in four years. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects crude output rising from a record 13.7 million barrels per day in 2025 to 13.9 million in 2026, and natural gas output from 107.6 to 112.2 Bcf/d, driven by data-center power demand and LNG exports.

The following week, RBN Energy's table showed the Permian at 272 rigs, down two, with the U.S. total unchanged at 603.

Sources: Reuters via BOE Report, Oct. 9, 2026; RBN Energy — U.S. rig count.