Permian frac crews hit 106, DUCs keep shrinking
Plus: Precision eyes a packed winter and Welspun lands a $580M Permian pipe order
🔥 The Big One
Permian frac crews hit 106 as the DUC stockpile runs down
Enverus counted 106 frac crews working the Permian as of Oct. 16, up from 97 the week before and 93 a year ago. The basin's DUC inventory fell to 2,060 wells from 2,378, roughly 13% lower. Less drilled-but-uncompleted stock to pull from means completions work leans harder on fresh drilling, and ExxonMobil leads operators at 34.3 active rigs. If you run completions logistics, expect full schedules and lock in your capacity now.
Read the full breakdown →✍️ Editor's Take
Gas is feeding the data center build, and the constraint is gear and permits, not cash. Permian frac crews are up from 93 to 106 while DUCs shrink, a hyperscaler gas line has pipe on order for 2029, and Caterpillar's backlog sits at $78B. Jacobs says only 20% of US energy leaders deliver on time. Work is coming, but starts will slip. Book your crews and equipment early, and price in the delays.
FieldNews Staff
This Week in 60 Seconds
- Precision sees a packed winter
Canada's biggest driller expects near-full fleet use and lifted its 2026 capital budget to $285M.
- $580M of pipe for a Permian gas line
Coated pipe for a gas line serving a hyperscaler data center, with deliveries in fiscal year 2029.
- ConocoPhillips cuts Canada contractors too
Staff and contractors are cut effective Tuesday. No headcount or affected assets disclosed.
- CenterPoint pulls $1.5B forward
A $70.7B plan through 2035 and 14 GW of new demand. Line and civil crews should chase 2027 prequalification.
- Ksi Lisims inches toward FID
A binding 20-year SEFE deal puts the $10B BC LNG project at seven of 12 million tonnes contracted.
📍 Where the Work Is
- Permian Basin 🔥 HOT: Frac crews keep climbing and a new gas line tied to a hyperscaler data center is lining up pipe, so completions and pipeline crews have runway.
- Western Canada: Precision Drilling expects near-full fleet use this winter, which should keep service crews busy through the cold months.
- Houston area: CenterPoint pulled spending forward on surging load, so line, substation civil and vegetation crews should get prequalified now.
📍 Where the Work Is, by region
Public tenders and project starts from the last 7 days. A job listed in two regions counts in both.
Rest of US
27 public tenders · 6 project starts
- Tender · Pipeline Construction · Florida · Oct 29
- Cannon Falls City Council approves final plat for data center development - Cannon Falls Beacon · Oct 28
- AWS plans to expand data center footprint in Montgomery County, Missouri · Oct 26
Appalachia & Northeast
22 public tenders · 9 project starts
- NEQ Operating Staffs Up with Ex-Devon Execs – Eyeing the Marcellus? · Oct 28
- Rhode Island Energy Swaps 65 Wood Structures for Steel in $8.2M Job · Oct 27
- EQT's acquisition of Range underscores race to dominate US natgas market · Oct 28
Rockies & Plains
25 public tenders · 3 project starts
- Tender · Remediation & Cleanup · Utah · Oct 30
- Ur-Energy Announces 120-Hole Drill Program to Unlock Growth Potential at Lost Creek South, Wyoming · Oct 29
- Oklahoma smelter construction targeted for 2027 · Oct 27
Texas & Gulf Coast
16 public tenders · 7 project starts
- Expand Energy Pulls Third Permit to Test Western Haynesville · Oct 29
- EQT's acquisition of Range underscores race to dominate US natgas market · Oct 28
- Tender · Plumbing & Pipefitting · Texas · Oct 30
West Coast
16 public tenders · 1 project start
- Tender · Road Construction · Washington · Oct 30
- Construction Of Military Data Center On Maui Alarms Residents · Oct 28
- 88 Energy lines up partner for Augusta-1 exploration well on Alaska's North Slope · Oct 28
Eastern Canada
6 public tenders · 5 project starts
- Ottawa matches $1B Ring of Fire funds · Oct 28
- Tender · Ontario · Oct 28
- XXIX Metal launches largest drilling campaign in its history · Oct 28
Western Canada
3 public tenders · 7 project starts
- Ovintiv Acquires Montney Neighbor Logan · Oct 27
- AER well abandoned: Enercapita Energy Ltd. near Viking (01-15-048-13W4) · Oct 22
- Tender · Geotechnical Engineering · Yukon · Oct 28
🟢 Open Windows
Bids, packages, and decisions with a clock on them.
Nov 20, 2026
DOE Grid SCALED concept papers. $237M round for domestic grid equipment supply chains. Full applications are due Feb 8, 2027.Q1 2027 construction start
AEP Ohio 765-kV build. Roughly $5B job. Line, substation and civil crews should get in front of Jacobs and WSP now.FID targeted 2026
Ksi Lisims LNG. $10B BC north coast project in final planning. Contractors should position before the decision lands.
👷 Crew Market: Permian frac crews hit 106 as of Oct. 16, up from 93 a year earlier, while ConocoPhillips cut Canadian staff and contractors with no headcount disclosed.
📈 The Number
$78B
Caterpillar's Q3 order backlog is nearly double last year, led by data center demand for power generation gear. Power generation sales rose 30%, so electrical, rigging and crane subs should plan 2027 install capacity now.
Construction Dive, citing Caterpillar's Q3 earnings
On Your Radar
- Nov 9Senate cloture vote on BAAJA. Permitting bill with FERC transmission planning powers
- Nov 16Red Seal $5,000 bonus portal opens. For journeypersons certified on or after Apr 1, 2025
- Feb 8, 2027DOE Grid SCALED full applications due. Follows Nov 20 concept papers
- Spring 2027National rigging and hoisting standard consultations. CSA Group and WorkSafeBC effort
- Late 2027Rigging and hoisting standard implementation. Targeted national competency baseline
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