US Drilling Holds at 581 Rigs While Canada Drops 11 in Baker Hughes July 10 North America Count

Baker Hughes released its July 10, 2026 North America rig count, showing 760 active rigs across the United States and Canada. The total fell by 10 from 770 rigs working on July 2. Canada shed 11 rigs to drive the weekly decline, while the United States added 1 to hold at 581.

US Rig Count at 581, Up 44 From a Year Ago

The United States counted 581 working rigs on July 10, adding one from the prior week. Year over year, the US total stands 44 rigs above the comparable week in 2025, a gain of 8.2 percent. WTI crude settled at $71.41 per barrel on Friday's CME close, per OilPrice.com. Brent crude settled at $76.01 per barrel on Friday's ICE close, a $4.60-per-barrel premium over WTI, also per OilPrice.com.

Most major US producers locked in hedging contracts when WTI traded above $82 per barrel in the first months of 2026. Those agreements protect drilling budgets from short-term price swings and explain why one additional US rig came online this week despite falling prices. The stable rig count aligns with the EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, published July 7, which projects 13.8 million barrels per day of US crude production for full-year 2026.

Canada Counts 179 Active Rigs, Down 11 for the Week

Canada's active count fell to 179 from 190 the prior week, a decline of 11 rigs or 5.8 percent. Year over year, Canada still operates 17 rigs more than in the comparable week of 2025, a gain of 10.5 percent. The weekly pullback follows a seasonal pattern in the Alberta basin, where heavy-oil and in situ operators typically complete spring pad campaigns by early July and then pause before resuming fall activity. Summer road conditions and regulatory maintenance windows also reduce drilling access across many Alberta lease areas.

North America Holds 41.5 Percent of 1,833 Global Active Rigs

Baker Hughes publishes international rig activity monthly. The most recent international count, for June 2026, reached 1,073 rigs, up 27 from May 2026. Adding 760 North American rigs to 1,073 international rigs yields a global total of 1,833 active rigs, placing North America at 41.5 percent of the global count.

North America's proven oil reserves represent roughly 14 percent of the global total, per EIA estimates. The continent's 41.5 percent share of global rig activity far exceeds that reserve proportion. Permian Basin shale economics, including short drill-to-production cycles and competitive oilfield services pricing, sustain high drilling intensity even when crude prices weaken.

Two-Week Context: North America Has Lost 10 Rigs Since July 2

Oil & Gas Journal reported on July 2, 2026 that North America counted 770 working rigs, with the US posting a gain that offset a Canadian decline. The July 10 Baker Hughes release continued that pattern: US +1, Canada -11, for a net loss of 10 across North America. Baker Hughes has published weekly rig counts as an industry service since 1944, making these one of the energy sector's longest-running operational datasets.

The EIA projects US crude production rising to 14.0 million barrels per day in 2027, up from 13.8 million barrels per day forecast for 2026. Baker Hughes data through July 10 shows the US drilling base remains above its year-ago level, consistent with that production growth path. Canadian activity, while pulling back weekly, also remains above last year's pace on a year-over-year basis.