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U.S. land drilling rig against open sky, upstream oil and gas operations

January Rig Count: First Real Signal of 2026

The Baker Hughes rig count is an imperfect but irreplaceable leading indicator. Published weekly every Friday, it captures the operational pulse of the U.S. oil and gas industry before production data catches up. The first full BH count of 2026 — released the second week of January — gives us the

Upstream oil and gas pumpjack and production infrastructure, U.S. E&P operations

New Year, New Budgets: 2026 Capex Plans Finalized

The first week of January is when the real work begins. Holiday budgets are over; the spreadsheets are locked. Across the upstream sector, operators have finalized 2026 capital programs and the picture is coming into focus: disciplined growth, modest spending increases from 2025 levels, and a continued emphasis on returns