Permian Frac Crews Hit 106 as DUC Inventory Drops 13%
The Permian now has 13 more frac crews working than it did a year ago, while its stock of drilled-but-uncompleted wells keeps shrinking. Permian Basin Oil & Gas Magazine reports, citing Enverus’ latest Drilldown Report, that 106 frac crews were active in the basin as of Oct. 16, compared with 97 the previous week and 93 a year earlier.
Nationally, Enverus counted 194 crews, up from 178 both the previous week and a year ago. The Rockies had 32, the Gulf Coast 31 and the Eastern region 18.
DUC wells are declining. The Permian had 2,060 as of the report, down from 2,378 a year ago. The U.S. total fell to 4,296 from 4,676. By our arithmetic, that is roughly a 13% drop in the Permian and 8% nationally.
ExxonMobil leads Permian operators with an average of 34.3 active rigs. Devon follows at 21.0, Diamondback at 19.1, ConocoPhillips at 18.0, Occidental at 17.0 and Mewbourne at 13.9.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Completions logistics: Frac crews rose from 93 to 106 in a year. Sand haulers, water transfer and flowback providers in the Permian should expect that crew count to hold or climb. Lock truck and equipment commitments for Q1 2027 now, before competing crews tie up capacity.
- Location construction and civil: Our inference is that a shrinking DUC stockpile (2,060 wells, down 318 in a year) means less completion work on already-drilled wells and more tied to new drilling. Pad and road crews should line up work with the big rig operators: ExxonMobil (34.3 rigs), Devon (21.0) and Diamondback (19.1).
- Outside the Permian: The Rockies (32 crews) and Gulf Coast (31) trail far behind. Service companies that move equipment between basins should treat the Permian as the priority market.
