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.
