The Bakken is no longer a growth-at-all-costs shale play. For disciplined operators like Devon Energy, it has become a proving ground for how to extract more value from mature inventory using technology, operational rigor, and capital restraint.
Devon’s Q3 2025 commentary made this clear: the Bakken is being managed as a cash-efficient, optimization-driven asset, not a volume-growth engine. When you pair that strategy with actual drilling data from the field, the story becomes even more compelling.
Below, we break down what Devon said about the Bakken and what the wells-drilled data since 2024 confirms.
Devon’s Bakken Strategy: Optimize the Base, Don’t Chase Growth
On its most recent earnings call, Devon emphasized that Bakken outperformance is being driven by base production optimization, not increased drilling intensity.
Key elements of Devon’s Bakken approach include:
- Artificial lift reliability improvements
Devon reported a ~25% reduction in artificial lift failures in the Rockies (which includes the Bakken), materially improving uptime and reducing costly interventions. - Workover optimization instead of new-well acceleration
Faster, better-planned workovers are returning wells to production more quickly, delivering sustainable barrels at lower capital intensity. - Lower workover rig count, higher efficiency
Despite improved production performance, Devon has reduced workover rig activity in the Bakken—an indicator of better well reliability and safer operations. - Technology and AI as force multipliers
Devon is increasingly applying data analytics and AI-driven workflows to identify failure risks, optimize lift performance, and reduce downtime across its Bakken asset base.
The result is a Bakken position that generates steady cash flow, requires less maintenance capital, and performs reliably in a well-supplied oil market.
What the Data Says: Bakken Wells Drilled Since 2024
To validate this strategy, we reviewed Bakken wells drilled since 2024, grouping permits by year, county, and contractor/rig activity.
Wells Drilled by Activity Year
| Year | Wells Drilled |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 78 |
| 2025 | 58 |
What this tells us:
Drilling activity peaked in 2024 and moderated in 2025, aligning with Devon’s stated focus on capital discipline and inventory management, not growth drilling.
Top Bakken Counties by Drilling Activity
| Rank | County | Wells Drilled |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKenzie | 73 |
| 2 | Williams | 42 |
| 3 | Mountrail | 10 |
| 4 | Dunn | 6 |
| 5 | Williams (ND) | 3 |
| 6 | Dunn (ND) | 2 |
What this tells us:
Drilling is overwhelmingly concentrated in McKenzie and Williams counties, reinforcing that operators like Devon are staying tightly focused on core Bakken acreage, not step-out exploration.
Top Contractors & Rigs in the Bakken
| Rank | Contractor & Rig | Wells Drilled |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nabors B13 | 47 |
| 2 | Nabors B17 | 40 |
| 3 | Patterson 811 | 37 |
| 4 | Patterson 276 | 10 |
| 5 | Nabors B06 | 2 |
What this tells us:
Bakken drilling is being executed by a small, stable group of high-utilization rigs, suggesting:
- Long-term contractor relationships
- Efficient pad development programs
- Minimal rig churn
- Predictable execution and cost control
This is exactly what you would expect from an operator prioritizing manufacturing-style efficiency over short-term volume growth.
Strategy Meets Reality: Devon’s Bakken Playbook in Action
When you connect Devon’s commentary with the actual drilling data, a clear pattern emerges:
- Fewer rigs, higher utilization
- Core counties dominate activity
- Operational efficiency replaces drilling intensity
- Technology and base management unlock value
The Bakken is no longer about how many wells you drill—it’s about how well you manage the ones you already have.
For service companies, this shift matters. Demand increasingly favors:
- Artificial lift optimization
- Workover efficiency
- Reliability-focused technologies
- Data-driven production tools
Operators like Devon are setting the tone for how mature shale basins will be developed going forward.
Bottom Line
Devon’s Bakken strategy reflects a broader industry transition:
optimize the base, protect capital, and let efficiency—not activity—drive returns.
The data backs it up.
