Top U.S. Land Drillers and Operators Ranked for 2026 by Enverus
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According to the latest first-quarter 2026 data from Enverus, **Helmerich & Payne (H&P)** and **ExxonMobil** have secured the top spots for U.S. land drilling activity among contractors and operators, respectively.
### Leading Drilling Contractors
H&P claimed the top position as the most active land contractor in the U.S., logging **15.85 million feet** of total drilled measured depth across 776 wells.
The remaining top contractors include:
* **Patterson-UTI Drilling**: Second place with **9.51 million feet** across 442 wells.
* **Nabors Industries**: Third place with **6.55 million feet**.
* **Ensign Energy Services**: Fourth place with **4.21 million feet**.
### Top Drilling Operators
Among operators, **ExxonMobil** led the industry by drilling **5.44 million feet** across 229 wells. **EOG Resources** climbed two spots from the prior quarter to take second place with **3.39 million feet**.
The rest of the top five operators are:
* **Devon Energy**: **3.30 million feet**
* **Occidental Petroleum**: **3.28 million feet**
* **ConocoPhillips**: **2.60 million feet**
### Methodology and Insights
Enverus determines these rankings by analyzing several metrics, including total measured depth, well count, average drilling rate, average measured depth, average lateral length, and average rig count. Because of reporting lags from the field, the data represents a point-in-time snapshot.
Mark Chapman, principal analyst for oilfield services at Enverus Intelligence Research, stated that the rankings provide a practical benchmark for evaluating the performance, execution, and well designs of top contractors and operators. However, Chapman pointed out that total drilled footage does not automatically equate to speed, noting that the contractor with the highest total footage was not the fastest driller among the top five.
### Industry Trends
The rankings arrive during a period of increased domestic drilling. Enverus reported an average of 637.6 active U.S. rigs for the week ending July 31, 2026—a **13% increase** compared to the same period last year. This surge highlights the massive scale of drilling operations currently underway as top operators focus on longer lateral lengths, capital discipline, and improved drilling efficiency across major U.S. shale plays.
