This week’s LOGA Drilling Report painted a clear picture of stability—not acceleration—across Louisiana’s oil and gas landscape. While headline rig numbers edged higher, underlying activity shows operators holding position, maintaining rigs, and exercising capital discipline.
Statewide Snapshot: Slight Uptick, No Breakout
Louisiana’s total rig count rose to 46 rigs, driven by a modest rebound in North Louisiana’s Haynesville Shale and an increase in offshore Gulf activity. South Louisiana remained flat week over week, reinforcing the theme of steady—not expanding—operations.
Despite the rig increase, no new wells were reported in North Louisiana, and permitting activity remained very light, signaling that operators are focused on execution and inventory management rather than growth.
Haynesville: Rigs Up, Wells Flat
The Haynesville rig count ticked up to 27 rigs, but drilling momentum did not follow. Operators are clearly choosing to hold rigs in place without accelerating well starts, a pattern consistent with today’s gas price environment and disciplined capital allocation.
Top Haynesville Operators by Active Rig Records
APEX NATURAL GAS, LLC led all operators by record count, running six rigs split between Caddo and DeSoto parishes. This places Apex firmly at the top of current Haynesville execution.
Expand Energy followed with five rigs, concentrated primarily in DeSoto Parish with one rig in Sabine. Expand’s footprint reflects a focused, repeatable development program rather than geographic expansion.
Aethon Energy maintained three rigs spread across Bossier, Bienville, and Caddo parishes, while Comstock Resources also ran three rigs, primarily in DeSoto and Bienville.
BPX Energy rounded out the top five with two rigs operating in Bossier and Red River parishes.
Top 5 Louisiana Accounts by Record Count (Rig-Level Detail)
1. APEX NATURAL GAS, LLC
- Record Count: 6
- Rigs:
- APEX Independence 335 (Caddo)
- APEX Precision 187 (Caddo)
- APEX Precision 254 (DeSoto)
- APEX Precision 258 (DeSoto)
- APEX Precision 307 (DeSoto)
- APEX Precision 316 (Caddo)
2. Expand Energy
- Record Count: 5
- Rigs:
- Expand Patterson 586 (DeSoto)
- Expand Expand 458 (DeSoto)
- Expand Patterson 746 (DeSoto)
- Expand Expand 485 (DeSoto)
- Expand Expand 470 (Sabine)
3. Aethon Energy
- Record Count: 3
- Rigs:
- Aethon Cactus 167 (Bossier)
- Aethon Scan Legacy 258 (Bienville)
- Aethon Patterson 460 (Caddo)
4. Comstock Resources Inc.
- Record Count: 3
- Rigs:
- Comstock Patterson 279 (Bienville)
- Comstock Patterson 308 (DeSoto)
- Comstock Patterson 474 (DeSoto)
5. BPX
- Record Count: 2
- Rigs:
- BPX H&P 424 (Bossier)
- BPX H&P 256 (Red River)
South Louisiana: Flat and Quiet
South Louisiana held steady at eight rigs, with no net change week over week. Activity remains split between onshore, inland waters, and legacy development areas. The lack of movement reinforces the broader message: no near-term push for growth.
Offshore Gulf: Incremental Lift
Offshore activity increased to 11 rigs, providing the primary boost to Louisiana’s total rig count. While offshore permitting was limited, the increase suggests selective project progression rather than a new drilling cycle.
Permits Tell the Real Story
Permitting activity was notably light:
- Two offshore permits, issued to Shell and Murphy Exploration
- Four onshore permits statewide, with one permit issued in each of four parishes
This low permit volume reinforces that operators are not building a forward backlog, even as rigs remain active.
Bottom Line: Stability Over Expansion
What LOGA communicated this week is unmistakable:
Louisiana drilling is stable, disciplined, and controlled. Operators are maintaining rigs, selectively advancing offshore projects, and keeping permitting to a minimum. The Haynesville remains active, but execution—not expansion—is the priority.
For service companies, suppliers, and business development teams, this environment rewards precision targeting, strong operator relationships, and alignment with active rigs—not speculative permits.
