Rotary rig count in U.S. by type 2011-2022

At the end of 2022, there were 621 active rotary oil rigs compared with 156 gas rigs in the United States. The total rotary rig count in the country was 779. Between 2011 and 2022, the number of rigs used within the oil and gas industry saw a net decrease, with the discrepancy between operational oil and gas wells growing more pronounced. The decrease noted between 2019 and 2020 is a direct result of lower fuel demand during the coronavirus pandemic. In July 2020, the number of U.S. oil and gas rigs in use fell to a low of 251.

Number of oil and gas rigs worldwide

The number of global oil rigs has declined by more than one-third since the early 2010’s when surging oil demand and new technological means such as horizontal drilling resulted in the active use of around 3,500 oil rigs being used every year. The overall peak in average annual oil rigs was reported in 1981, at over 5,600. As of October 2021, North America was the region with the highest number of oil and gas rigs.

Well decommissioning

The United States is expected to become the second-largest market for oil and gas well decommissioning. An estimated 13 percent of the global oil rig decommissioning spending between 2019 and 2028 is forecast to be contributed by the U.S. As many governments are setting their target on a net zero economy by at least 2050, drilling activity will need to be drastically reduced.