Wells Off Line For Operational Reasons

Locator: X456B.

Updates: The Raw Data

October, 2023: some data pending:September, 2023: some data pending.

• completed: 96 (preliminary)
• inactive:
• DUCS:
• total off line for operational reasons: 
• producing:

September, 2023: some data pending:September, 2023: some data pending.

• completed: 129 (preliminary)
• inactive: 1,547
  
• DUCS: 367
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 1,914
• producing:18,538

August, 2023: some data pending.

• completed: 91 (preliminary)
• inactive: 1,624
  
• DUCS: 376
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,000
• producing: 18,396
  

July, 2023:

• completed: 83 (preliminary)
• inactive: 1,665
  
• DUCS: 419
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,084
• producing:18,179 (preliminary) -- new all-time highh
  

June, 2023:

• completed: 85 (preliminary)
• inactive: 1,693 -- compare with last month
  
• DUCS: 433
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,216
• producing:18,085

May, 2023:

• completed: 138 (preliminary)
• inactive: 1,779
  
• DUCS: 459
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,238
• producing: May, 2023: 17,913 (new all-time high)
  

April, 2023:

• completed: 51 (preliminary)
• inactive: 1,899
  
• DUCS: 458.
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,357
• producing: 17,768
  

March, 2023: some data pending

• completed: 62 
  
• inactive: 1,900.
  
• DUCS: 483.
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,383
• producing:17,656.

February, 2023:

• completed: 96
• inactive: 1,900.
  
• DUCS: 487.
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,387
• producing: 17,506
  

January, 2023:

• completed: 67 (preliminary)
• inactive:1,998 (a 24% decrease m/m)
  
• DUCS: 469 (a 4% increase)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,467 (a 19% decrease)
  
• producing:17,366 (an increase of 0.7%)
  

December, 2022:

• completed: 104
• inactive: 2,613 (an increase of 15%)
  
• DUCS: 450 (a less-than- 1% decrease)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,063 (a 13% increase)
  
• producing:17,233 (a decrease of 2%)
  

November, 2022:

• completed: 58
  
• inactive: 2,271 (a decrease of 20%)
  
• DUCS: 447 (a 9% decrease)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,718 (a 14% increase)
  
• producing:17,580

October, 2022:

• completed: 54 (preliminary; a 47% decrease)
  
• inactive: 1,886 (a 30% increase)
  
• DUCS: 489 (3% increase)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,375 (a 24% increase)
  
• producing:17,791 (revised, final; a new all-time high)
  

September, 2022:

• completed: 81 (preliminary; a 22.7% increase)
  
• inactive:1,447 (decreased by 267; decreased by 15.5%)
  
• DUCS: 474 (decreased by 3; decreased by 0%)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 1,921 (decreased by 12.3%)
  
• producing:17,769 (increased by 53, increased by 0.9%)

August, 2022:

• completed: 66 
  
• inactive:1,714 (increased by 49; increased by 2.9%)
  
• DUCS: 477 (increased by 12; increased by 2.6%)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,191 (decreased by 12%)
  
• producing:17,616 (increased by 235, increased by 1.4%); revised, 17,632.
  

July, 2022:

• inactive: 1,655
• DUCS: 465
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,120
• producing:17,381

June, 2022: has recovered from the April blizzard

• inactive: 1,750
• DUCS: 483
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,233
• producing: 17,284

May, 2022:

• inactive: 2,448
• DUCS: 496
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,944
• producing: 16,965

April, 2022: huge blizzard shut things down

• inactive: 1,909
• DUCS: 494
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,403
• producing: 16,896

March, 2022:

• inactive: 1,928
• DUCS: 451
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,379
• producing: 16,746

February, 2022:

• inactive: 1,872
• DUCS: 463
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,335
• producing: 16,746

January, 2022: 

• inactive: 2,420
  
• DUCS: 449
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,869
  
• producing: 16,865 (final)
  

December, 2021: 

• inactive: 1,975
  
• DUCS: 475
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,450
  
• producing: 17,200 (revised -- new all-time high)
  

November, 2021: 

• inactive: 1,957
  
• DUCS: 416
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,373
  
• producing: 17,245 (new all-time high)
  

October, 2021: 

• inactive: 1,881
  
• DUCS: 457
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,338
  
• producing: 17,163 (preliminary -- new all-time high)
  

September, 2021: 

• inactive: 1,696 
• DUCS: 503
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,199 
• producing: 17,51 (final-- new all-time high)
  

August, 2021:

• inactive: 1,672
  
• DUCs:  521
  
• total off line for operational reasons:  2,193
  
• producing: 16,956 (looks like a new all-time high)
  

July, 2021:

• inactive: 2,082
• DUCs: 521
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,603
• producing: 16,844 (preliminary; all-time high, last month, June, 2021, with 16,844)
  

June, 2021 (final):

• inactive: 1,839
• DUCs: 680
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,519
• producing: 16,844 (all-time high)
  

May, 2021:

• inactive: 2,348
  
• DUCs:  677
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,025
  
• producing: 16,623
  

April, 2021:

• inactive: 2,088
• DUCs: 731 (note: this is an increase from the month before)
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,819
• producing: 16,374 (preliminary)

March, 2021:

• inactive: 2,351
• DUCs: 628
• total off line for operational reasons: 2,979
• producing: 16,212 (final)

February, 2021:

• DUCs: 662
• inactive: 2,568
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,230
  
• producing: 15,773 (preliminary)

January, 2021:

• DUCs: 661
• inactive: 2,597
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,258
  
• producing: 15,798 (preliminary)
  

December:

• DUCs: 668
• inactive: 2,687
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,355 
  
• producing: 15,798 (preliminary) 

November:

• DUCs: 710
• inactive: 2,870
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,580 
  
• producing: 15,601 (preliminary); 15,620 (revised)
  

October:

• DUCs: 724
• inactive: 2,934
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,658  
• producing: 15,512 (preliminary); 15,601 (revised)
  

September:

• DUCs: 793
• total off line for operational reasons: 4,542 
• producing: 15,377 (preliminary) --> 15,389 (final)

August, 2020:

• DUCs: 846
• inactive well count: 2,719
  
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,565

July, 2020:

• DUCs: 878
• inactive well count: 3,762
• total off line for operational reasons: 4,640

June, 2020:

• DUCs: 899
• inactive well count: 4,214
• total off line for operational reasons: 5,113

May, 2020:

• DUCs: 962
• inactive well count: 6,108
• total off line for operational reasons: 7,070

April, 2020:

• DUCs: 944 (down 28 from the 972 in March)
• inactive well count: 2,168 (up 7 from 2,161 in March)
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,112

March, 2020:

• DUCs: 972 (down 55 from the 1,027 in February)
• inactive well count: 2,161 (up 72 from 2,091 in January )
• March: it makes sense that inactive wells are up; DUCs are down; when DUCs are completed, neighboring wells are shut in to protect them; 
• total off line for operational reasons: 3,133

February, 2020:

• DUCs: 1,054 (up 30 from the 1,024 in January)
• inactive well count: 2,091 (down 516 from 2,607 in January )
• if I recall correctly, December, 2019, was a fairly "mild" winter by North Dakota standards;
• January: huge jump in DUCs and inactive wells; 
• February, 2020, was a fairly mild month, as I recall;

January, 2020:

• DUCs: 1,024 (up 66 from the 958 in December)
• inactive well count: 2,608 (up 687 from 1,920 in December -- a huge increase)
• totals, wells off line for operational reasons: 3,631 -- up significantly month-over-month -- an increase of 753 or up an astounding 26% from the previous month;
• this sets a new record of the the number of wells off line for operational reasons; the previous record was September, 2019, (3,020)

December, 2019:

• DUCs: 958 (up 39 from the 919 in November)
• inactive well count: 1,920 (up 194 from 1,726 in November)
• totals, wells off line for operational reasons: 2,878 -- up significantly month-over-month -- an increase of 233 or about 8.8% from the previous month;
• the number of wells off line for operational reasons in September, 2019, (3,020) sets a new record 

November, 2019:

• DUCs: 919 (up 34 from the 885 in October)
• inactive well count: 1,726 (up 43 from 1,683 in October)
• totals, wells off line for operational reasons: 2,645 -- about average for the Bakken -- but up 77 or about 3% from the previous month;

October, 2019:

• DUCs: 885 (down 31 from the 916 in September)
• inactive well count: 1,683 (down 421 from 2,104 in September)
• totals, wells off line for operational reasons: 2,568 -- about average for the Bakken

September, 2019

• awaiting completion (DUCs), 916 (the November Director's Cut said the number of DUCs in August, 2019, was 930 which is different than that initially reported a month ago (see below)
  
• inactive well count; 2,104 ((the November Director's Cut said the inactive well count in August, 2019, was 1,675 which is different than that initially reported a month ago (see below)
• total: 3,020
• if this is accurate, the number of wells off line for operational reasons in September, 2019, (3,020) sets a new record
• it looks like 2,665, wells off-line for operational reasons back in March, 2019, is now the 2nd highest number of wells off-line for operational reasons

August, 2019

• awaiting completion (DUCs), down 14, to 916
• inactive well count; down 62 to 1,613
• total: 2,529  
• it looks like 2,665, wells off-line for operational reasons is still the all-time high (March, 2019)

July, 2019 

• awaiting completion (DUCs): down 53, to 930
• inactive well count: up 122, to 1,675
• total: 2,605 (up from 2,536 last month) or an increase of 2.7% this represents about 1,000 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year; 2,536 wells is about the number of wells North Dakota will complete every three years
• it looks like 2,665, wells off-line for operational reasons is still the all-time high (March, 2019)
• scroll down to original post to see 2018 data and note how historically high the current number of inactive well is -- stunning

June, 2019:

• awaiting completion (DUCs): down by 2 to 983
• estimated inactive well count: down 3, to 1,553
• total: 2,536 (down from 2,541 last month) -- this represents about 1,000 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year; 2,536 wells is about the number of wells North Dakota will complete every three years
• it looks like 2,665, wells off-line for operational reasons is still the all-time high (March, 2019)

May, 2019:

• awaiting completion (DUCs): up by 23 to 985
• estimated inactive well count: down 69, to 1,556
• total: 2,541 (down from 2,587 last month) -- this represents about 1,000 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year; 2,561 is about the number of wells North Dakota will complete every three years
• it looks like 2,665, wells off-line for operational reasons is still the all-time high (March, 2019)
  

April, 2019:

• DUCs: 962 (down 6 from last report)
• inactive: 1,625 (down 72 from last report)
• total: 2,587 (down from 2665 last month; this represents about 1,000 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year; 2,561 is about the number of wells North Dakota will complete every three years)
• WTI was about $2/bbl higher in April, 2019, compared to March, 2019
• 2,665 last month was probably an all-time high

March, 2019:

• DUCs: 968, up 74 from last report
• inactive: 1,697, up 30 from last report
• total: 2,665 (up from 2,561 last month; this represents about 1,000 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year; 2,561 is about what North Dakota will complete every three years)
• I do believe that this (2,665) represents an all-time high)

February, 2019:

• DUCs: 894, up 27 from last report
• inactive: 1,667, up a whopping 150 from last report
• total: 2,561 (up from 2,332 last month, about 800 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year)

January, 2019:

• DUCs: 867, up 44 from last report
• inactive: 1,517, up 8 from last report
• total: 2,384 (up from 2,332 last month, about 800 more wells than will be drilled this calendar year)

December, 2018:  

• 823, down 134 from last report -- huge decrease
• inactive: 1,509, up 128 from last report -- wow, look at that jump in the number of inactive wells 
• total: 2,332 (down slightly from 2,338 in the last report; but 2,332 wells is still way more than the total number of wells that will be drilled in North Dakota this year)

November, 2018:

• 957, down 2 from previous report
• inactive: 1,381, up 18 from previous report
• total: 2,338

October, 2018:  

• 959, up 31 from previous report
• inactive: 1,363, up 23 from previous report
• total: 2,322

May, 2018:  

• 955, up 13 from previous report
• inactive: 1,569, down 48
• total: 2,524

April, 2018:

• 942, up 26 from previous report
• inactive: 1,521, down 13
• total: 2,463

March, 2018:

• 916, up 15
• inactive: 1,653, down 1 
• total: 2,569

February, 2018:

•  901, up 48
• inactive: 1,654, down 100
• total: 2,555

January, 2018:  

• 853, down 24
• inactive: 1,554, up 85
• total: 2,407

December, 2017:

• 877, down 6
• inactive: 1,469, down 23
• total: 2,346

November, 2017:

• 883, down 6
• inactive: 1,492, up 21
• total: 2,375

October, 2017:  

• 889, down 36
• inactive: 1,471, up 27

September, 2017:

• 853, down 10
• inactive: 1,444, down 54

August, 2017:  

• 863, down 26
• inactive: 1,498, up 20

July, 2017:  

• 889, up 34
• inactive: 1,478

June, 2017:  

• 865, up 35
• inactive: 1,458, down 53
• total: 2,323

May, 2017:

• 830, unchanged
• inactive: 1,511, up 45
• total: 2,341

April, 2017:  

• 830, up 141
• inactive, 1,466, up 167
• total: 2,296

March, 2017:

• 689, down 110
• inactive: 1,299, down 312 (need to correct typo at that post)
• total: 1,988

February, 2017:  

• 799, down 3
• inactive: 1,611, down 67
• total: 2,410

January, 2017:  

• 802, down 5
• inactive: 1,678, up 105
• total: 2,480

December, 2016:

• 807, down 32
• inactive: 1,573, up 54
• total: 2,380
• corrected: 9/9/19

November, 2016:  

• 839, down 21
• inactive: 1,519, up 16
• total: 2,358
• corrected: 9/9/19

October, 2016:  

• 860, down one
• inactive: 1,503, down 11
• total: 2,363
• corrected: 9/9/19

September, 2016:  

• 861, down 27
• inactive: 1,514, unchanged
• total: 2,375
• corrected: 9/9/19 

August, 2016:

• 888, down 24
• inactive: 1,514, up 42
• total: 2,402
• corrected: 9/9/19

July, 2016:  

• 912, up 25
• inactive: 1,472, down 14
• total: 2,384
• corrected: 9/9/19

June, 2016:  

• 887, down 44
• inactive: 1,486, down 98
• total: 2,373
• corrected: 9/9/19

May, 2016:

• 931, up 39
• inactive: 1,584, down 6
• total: 2,515
• corrected: 9/9/19

Original Post

See Director's Cut, May, 2018, data.

From the June 29, 2018, update, now updated through most recent data, adding data for May, 2018:

From most recent data, May, 2018 - May, 2017, most recent to oldest, which brings us up to date:

• taken from my posts on the blog. In May, 2017, I started posting DUCs and inactive wells on a regular basis. It's too time consuming to go back and fill in the few months in which I did not post data so I'm not going to fill in that bit of missing data. I think the existing data tells the story. 
• data below: month/year, DUCs, inactive wells. All data below, including the up/down change were taken directly from the NDIC Director's Cuts
• range:
• an outlier, March, 2017: 689
• otherwise, a low of 799 in February, 2017
• a high of 955 in the most recent month, May, 2018
• not graphed, but the trend for the past four months has been up 
• January, 2018: 853
• up 48 in February, 2018, 901
• up 15 in March, 2018, 916
• up 26 in April, 2018, 942 
• up 13 in May, 2018, 955

Inactive wells:

• in data presented, we have never gone above 1,700 inactive wells
• number of inactive wells in the past three months are among the highest numbers in the data presented

Disclaimer: in a long note like this and with so many numbers, and no triple-checking and no NYT fact-checker, there will be factual and typographical errors.