ExxonMobil continues to lead the list of top U.S. operators in the latest Drilldown Report from Enverus. As of Oct. 16 ExxonMobil reported an average of 37.3 active rigs (38.0 a year ago) followed by Devon and ConocoPhillips each with 31.0, EOG with 24.1, Continental Resources with 23.4, Occidental with 22.0 and Mewbourne Oil with 21.4. The counts for Devon (32.3) and Occidental (25.1) were also down in the past year.
Among contractors, Helmerick & Payne reported an average of 153.4 rigs as of Oct. 16 (144.0 a year ago) followed by Patterson-UTI with 98.6 (85.6 a year ago), Nabors Industries with 77.6 (60.6 a year ago) and Cactus Drilling with 48.3 (37.0 a year ago).
Interesting split: the big operators flat to down on the year while every contractor on the list is up. H&P at 153 rigs from 144, Patterson-UTI near 99 from 86, Nabors up 17 rigs in a year. We run a job board for traveling trades workers, and more rigs on the contractor side means more floorhands, motormen and rig electricians to find, a lot of them placed through staffing outfits. For anyone pricing that labor out, here is a calculator that splits a bill rate into worker pay and markup.