Reporting Period: July 15–21, 2026
Regions Covered: North America and the Middle East
During the past week, confirmed oilfield developments included higher drilling activity in the United States and Canada, new Halliburton contracts in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, a major offshore gas investment by ADNOC, and temporary production measures in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
Weekly Oilfield News Summary
| Date | Region | Development | Confirmed Details |
| July 16 | Saudi Arabia | Aramco awards Halliburton onshore contracts | Multi-year contracts cover approximately 285 planned wells, including oil re-entry, drilling, completions and workovers. |
| July 17 | United States | U.S. rig count rises to 588 | The total increased by seven rigs. Oil rigs rose to 452, while gas rigs remained at 126. |
| July 17 | Canada | Canadian rig count rises to 198 | Canada added 19 rigs, including 18 additional oil-directed rigs and two gas-directed rigs. |
| July 20 | Iraq | Basra Oil Company awards Halliburton contract | Halliburton will support development of the Bin Umar and Sindbad oil and gas fields. |
| July 20 | Gulf of Mexico | Chevron shuts in Petronius platform | Production was suspended and personnel were moved onshore ahead of a developing tropical storm. |
| July 21 | UAE | ADNOC approves Umm Shaif Gas Cap project | The project has a total investment value of $6.2 billion and targets production of more than 600 million scf/d of gas and associated liquids. |
U.S. Rig Count Reaches Highest Level Since April 2025
The U.S. oil and gas rig count increased by seven to 588 rigs for the week ending July 17. This was the fifth consecutive weekly increase and the highest total since April 2025.
Oil-directed rigs increased by seven to 452, the highest level since May 2025. Gas-directed rigs remained unchanged at 126, while miscellaneous rigs remained at 10.
Texas added two rigs, reaching 274, and Oklahoma added two rigs, reaching 50. The total U.S. rig count was 44 rigs, or 8%, higher than the same period in 2025.
Canadian Rig Count Increases to 198
Canada’s active drilling rig count increased by 19 rigs to 198 during the week ending July 17.
The Canadian oil-directed rig count increased by 18 to 136, while the gas-directed count increased by two to 59. The combined North American rig count reached 786 rigs.
Aramco Awards Halliburton Contracts for Approximately 285 Wells
Halliburton announced on July 16 that Saudi Aramco awarded it multiple lump-sum turnkey contracts covering onshore oil re-entry operations in Saudi Arabia.
The multi-year contracts include approximately 285 planned wells across multiple onshore fields. Halliburton’s scope includes oil re-entry, drilling, well completions and workovers.
The contracts have a three-year base term, with options for extensions of up to two additional years.
Basra Oil Company Awards Halliburton Iraq Field Development Contract
Basra Oil Company awarded Halliburton a contract covering integrated field management and engineering, procurement and construction management services for the Bin Umar and Sindbad fields in southern Iraq.
The scope includes field development planning, production optimization, digital systems and EPC management.
Basra Oil Company estimates that the first five-year development phase at Bin Umar could produce approximately 150,000 barrels of oil per day and 300 million standard cubic feet per day of associated gas. Basra Oil Company will retain ownership and operatorship of the fields.
ADNOC Approves $6.2 Billion Umm Shaif Gas Cap Development
ADNOC approved a $6.2 billion final investment decision for the Umm Shaif Gas Cap project offshore Abu Dhabi.
The project is being developed with TotalEnergies, Eni and China National Petroleum Corporation. It is designed to produce more than 600 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas and associated gas liquids by 2030.
The investment includes three EPC packages valued at a combined $5.1 billion for offshore infrastructure.
A separate $365 million drilling program covers 14 wells over 18 months. ADNOC Drilling will execute the program using three existing drilling rigs.
Chevron Suspends Production at Petronius Platform
Chevron began shutting in production at its Petronius platform in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on July 20 ahead of Tropical Depression Two.
Personnel associated with Petronius were moved onshore, while nonessential workers were removed from the Tubular Bells and Blind Faith platforms. Chevron stated that production at its other operated Gulf assets remained at normal levels.
A consulting estimate cited by Reuters projected that approximately 2 million barrels of Gulf oil production could be affected during the storm period.
The U.S. federal Gulf offshore region produced nearly 2 million barrels of crude oil per day in March 2026, representing approximately 14% of total U.S. crude production.
ESP, Chemical Injection and Standards Update
No material standalone public contract announcement for ESP systems or chemical-injection equipment was identified in the reviewed North American and Middle Eastern sources during the July 15–21 reporting period.
No new major API, BSEE or PHMSA oilfield-product standard was identified during the same reporting period.