Continental isn’t the only one.
At today’s (1/21/26) North Dakota Industrial Commission meeting, the state confirmed two more companies are halting Bakken drilling activity.
No names. No announcements.
When multiple operators pull rigs at the same time, it’s not a coincidence...it’s a shift.
If each company ran 2–3 rigs, that’s several drilling rigs stacking across the Bakken.
Stacked rigs mean:
- Crews laid off
- Frac work slowing down
- Service companies losing contracts
- Workers and families leaving the area
Oil is near $60. Bakken breakevens are right there.
This is how slowdowns start...quietly, one operator at a time.