(WO) – Helmerich & Payne (H&P) and ExxonMobil led U.S. land drilling exercise amongst contractors and operators, respectively, based on new rankings launched by Enverus primarily based on first-quarter 2026 knowledge.
Picture: Helmerich & Payne
H&P ranked as probably the most lively U.S. land drilling contractor, recording 15.85 million ft of whole drilled measured depth throughout 776 wells. Patterson-UTI Drilling ranked second with 9.51 million ft throughout 442 wells, adopted by Nabors Industries with 6.55 million ft and Ensign Vitality Companies with 4.21 million ft.
Amongst drilling operators, ExxonMobil led with 5.44 million ft drilled throughout 229 wells. EOG Sources moved up two positions from the earlier quarter to rank second with 3.39 million ft.
Devon Vitality adopted with 3.30 million ft, whereas Occidental Petroleum and ConocoPhillips rounded out the highest 5 at 3.28 million ft and 2.60 million ft, respectively.
The Enverus rankings consider drilling exercise utilizing whole measured depth, nicely depend, common drilling charge, common measured depth, common lateral size and common rig depend. The corporate famous that the outcomes characterize a point-in-time view as a result of drilling exercise knowledge can lag subject operations and public reporting.
“These rankings proceed to supply a sensible benchmark for understanding how main drilling contractors and operators are performing throughout exercise, execution and nicely design,” mentioned Mark Chapman, principal analyst for oilfield companies at Enverus Intelligence Analysis.
Chapman famous that drilled footage alone doesn’t essentially point out drilling efficiency. The contractor with the best whole footage, for instance, was not the quickest driller among the many 5 highest-ranked corporations.
The rankings come amid greater total U.S. drilling exercise in contrast with a yr earlier. Energetic U.S. rigs averaged 637.6 through the week ended July 31, 2026, up 13% year-over-year, based on Enverus.
The information additionally spotlight the size of drilling applications being executed by the most important U.S. operators as corporations proceed to emphasise longer laterals, drilling effectivity and capital self-discipline throughout main shale basins.