Cactus Drilling remains one of the most active drilling contractors in the U.S., playing a crucial role in oil and gas development across key basins. As of this year, a total of 120 wells have been drilled by Cactus rigs, demonstrating strong industry demand and continued investment in drilling operations. Below, we break down the latest data, highlighting top trends in drilling activity by province, operator, county, and rig utilization.

Drilling Activity by Province
Cactus Drilling’s operations are spread across multiple provinces, with some regions seeing higher activity than others. The top provinces by record count are:
- Texas – 64 wells
- Oklahoma – 26 wells
- New Mexico – 15 wells
- Louisiana – 15 wells
This data reflects where operators are focusing their drilling efforts and where Cactus Drilling has seen the highest demand.
Top 10 Operators Utilizing Cactus Drilling
Several major oil and gas operators are leveraging Cactus Drilling rigs for their exploration and production programs. The top 10 operators by record count include:
- Coterra Energy – 23 wells
- APA Corporation – 18 wells
- Expand Energy – 12 wells
- Aethon Energy – 9 wells
- Crescent Energy Inc – 6 wells
- Verdun Oil Company – 6 wells
- Camino Natural Resources, LLC – 6 wells
- WildFire Energy LLC – 5 wells
- Javelin Energy Partners MGMT – 5 wells
- Comstock Resources, Inc. – 4 wells
Top 10 Counties for Drilling Activity
Drilling activity remains concentrated in specific counties with high levels of oil and gas production. The most active counties where Cactus rigs are drilling include:
- Lea – 9 wells
- De Soto – 8 wells
- Grady – 7 wells
- Upton – 6 wells
- Ward – 6 wells
- Culberson – 6 wells
- Canadian – 6 wells
- Eddy – 6 wells
- Robertson – 6 wells
- Dimmit – 5 wells
Most Utilized Rigs by Cactus Drilling
Some rigs are seeing higher utilization rates than others, with the following 10 rigs leading the way in drilling activity:
- Cactus 162 – 7 wells
- Cactus 140 – 7 wells
- Cactus 159 – 6 wells
- Cactus 171 – 6 wells
- Cactus 156 – 6 wells
- Cactus 144 – 5 wells
- Cactus 158 – 5 wells
- Cactus 172 – 5 wells
- Cactus 148 – 5 wells
- Cactus 169 – 4 wells
Key Takeaways
The data highlights several important trends in U.S. drilling:
- Strong activity across multiple provinces, reflecting a broad and sustained demand for drilling services.
- A diverse set of operators utilizing Cactus Drilling, ranging from major industry players to smaller independents.
- Concentration of drilling in key counties, indicating where production potential is highest.
- Consistent rig utilization, with some rigs emerging as workhorses in the fleet.
As drilling continues throughout the year, tracking this data will provide valuable insights into where the industry is headed. Stay tuned for more updates on drilling activity and market trends.