Oklahoma posted a net increase in drilling activity this week, driven overwhelmingly by a sharp pickup in the Cana Woodford, according to the latest Baker Hughes Rig Count.
The state’s total rig count increased from 43 to 46, but that headline number masks a clear internal rotation. The Cana Woodford added five rigs, reaching 22 active rigs, making it the dominant growth engine in Oklahoma. This gain more than offset declines elsewhere in the state.
At the same time, the Granite Wash lost three rigs, falling to 13, while the Ardmore Woodford declined by two rigs, leaving two active. The Arkoma Woodford added one rig, now totaling three, and the Mississippian remained inactive with no reported drilling.
Bottom line: Oklahoma activity is not broadly expanding—it is concentrating, with capital clearly flowing into the Cana Woodford while marginal plays continue to see pullbacks.
Top 5 Oklahoma Operators by Rig Count
(from attached dataset)
- Validus Energy — 5 rigs
- Contractors / Rigs: H&P 388, H&P 459, H&P 300, H&P 649, Cactus 164
- Continental Resources — 5 rigs
- Contractors / Rigs: H&P 544, Cactus 170, Patterson 592, Patterson 589, Latshaw 42
- Mewbourne Oil Company — 5 rigs
- Contractors / Rigs: Patterson 291, Latshaw 15, Patterson 365, Patterson 564, Patterson 287
- Camino Natural Resources, LLC — 2 rigs
- Contractors / Rigs: Cactus 154, Cactus 168
- Coterra Energy (Devon) — 2 rigs
- Contractors / Rigs: Cactus 161, Cactus 146
What This Signals
The operator and contractor mix reinforces the Cana Woodford story: repeatable development programs, dominated by H&P, Patterson, Cactus, and Latshaw, rather than one-off or exploratory activity. Oklahoma’s momentum is selective, disciplined, and play-specific, not a statewide drilling resurgence.
