As U.S. drilling activity moderates amid capital discipline and commodity price volatility, rig count alone no longer tells the full story of upstream activity. Instead, utilization, efficiency, and operator alignment have become the defining metrics of performance.
Patterson-UTI’s 2025 rig activity provides a clear window into this shift. While overall drilling remains flat nationally, Patterson’s high-spec fleet continues to see strong utilization driven by large-scale Permian Basin operators executing manufacturing-style development programs. This analysis reviews where Patterson’s rigs are working, which operators are driving activity, and what the data reveals about the evolving economics of modern shale drilling.
Overall Activity
1,958 total wells drilled in 2025 across Patterson-UTI’s U.S. operating footprint.
Drilling activity is heavily concentrated in large-scale shale development programs, with the Permian Basin representing the core utilization driver.
Geographic Concentration
Top Drilling States – 2025
| State | Wells Drilled |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | 582 |
| Texas | 424 |
| North Dakota | 243 |
| Pennsylvania | 188 |
| Ohio | 167 |
Key takeaway
The Permian Basin overwhelmingly dominates Patterson-UTI utilization, particularly across:
- Eddy County, NM
- Lea County, NM
- Loving County, TX
- Reeves County, TX
- Midland County, TX
Together, New Mexico and Texas account for over 51% of all 2025 wells drilled, reinforcing Patterson’s position as a Permian-first drilling contractor.
Top Operators Driving Activity
A small group of high-activity shale operators account for a disproportionate share of drilling.
Operator Wells Mewbourne Oil Company 340 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. 221 Matador Resources 149 Continental Resources 119 EOG Resources 118
Key insight
Patterson’s fleet is tightly aligned with:
- Manufacturing-style shale operators
- Long-term, multi-rig development programs
- Consistent pad drilling rather than spot-market utilization
This alignment reduces volatility and supports sustained rig efficiency even during broader U.S. rig count declines.
Rig-Level Highlights
Most Active Patterson Rigs – 2025
| Rig | Wells |
|---|---|
| Patterson 345 | 41 |
| Patterson 572 | 39 |
| Patterson 294 | 37 |
| Patterson 276 | 34 |
| Patterson 247 | 34 |
These rigs remained active from January through September 2025, indicating:
- Continuous pad programs
- Minimal idle time
- Long-dated operator contracts
Chevron-Focused Development Rigs
Multiple Patterson rigs are dedicated to Chevron’s Delaware and Midland Basin programs, reflecting:
- Factory-style pad drilling
- Consistent rig cadence
- High lateral counts per pad
Chevron alone represents 221 wells, making it Patterson’s second-largest customer by activity.
Mewbourne-Dedicated Fleet
Mewbourne Oil Company accounts for 340 wells, the largest operator exposure in the dataset.
This activity is concentrated almost entirely in the Delaware Basin, characterized by:
- High pad utilization
- Repeat section development
- Stable, long-cycle drilling programs
Drilling Cadence Insights
Based on activity clustering and repeat rig utilization:
- High-efficiency development rigs:
~11–15 days per well - Standard pad drilling:
~16–22 days per well - Extended or intermittent programs:
30+ days per well
This clearly segments Patterson’s fleet into:
- High-intensity manufacturing rigs
- Lower-tempo or multi-basin rigs
Strategic Takeaways
✅ Permian-Weighted Fleet
2025 activity confirms Patterson-UTI as:
- A core Permian Basin drilling contractor
- Particularly strong in the Delaware Basin
✅ Aligned With Tier-1 Operators
The majority of wells were drilled for:
- Chevron
- Mewbourne
- Matador
- EOG
- Continental
These operators emphasize:
- Pad drilling efficiency
- Consistent rig utilization
- High-spec rig fleets
- Execution reliability over rig count growth
✅ Efficiency Over Rig Count
Despite declining U.S. rig counts:
- Patterson’s most active rigs remained fully utilized
- High-performance rigs continued drilling at manufacturing pace
- Operator demand shifted toward efficiency, not expansion
This reinforces Patterson’s strategic advantage in:
- Technology-enabled drilling
- Repeat-pad optimization
- Long-term operator partnerships
Bottom Line
Patterson-UTI’s 2025 rig data tells a clear story:
U.S. drilling activity may be flat, but high-efficiency rigs tied to Tier-1 Permian operators remain fully utilized.
Patterson continues to generate value through:
- High-spec rig deployment
- Pad drilling optimization
- Deep relationships with manufacturing-scale shale operators
This is exactly why digital drilling optimization, automation, and performance analytics remain critical growth levers — even in a lower-rig-count environment.
