Monthly pad, rig and frac-spread counts for your basin.
A running activity index from satellite passes over one AOI, counted the same way every month.
Spec
- GSD
- ≤0.5 m
- Cadence
- Monthly, per pass over one AOI
- Platform
- High-resolution satellite
- Spectral
- RGB
- Counts
- Pads, rigs, frac spreads
- Formats
- CSV and PNG chart
- Coverage
- Onshore basins
- Input
- One basin AOI
01 / What you get
Files, fields and cadence
Each pass over your AOI adds a row to the same series, so this month's count sets directly against last month's.
| # | File | Format | What's in it | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Basin pad count | CSV | One row per pass for the AOI: pass date, number of pads, and the pad locations as coordinates. Monthly. It drops in next to your permit series. | Monthly |
| 02 | Rig and frac-spread split | CSV | Rigs and frac spreads in separate columns for each pass. Each is marked active or idle where the imagery shows it. A pad the pixels cannot settle is marked unresolved, never guessed. Monthly. | Monthly |
| 03 | Month-over-month delta | CSV | The change in each count against the prior pass over the same AOI. Monthly. The boundary is the same every time, so the delta is a change in activity and not a change in the area counted. | Monthly |
| 04 | Activity index chart | PNG | The index drawn as a trend line, ready for the monthly activity note. Redrawn with each pass. | Each pass |
02 / Pipeline
How it works
- 01in
Send the basin AOI
You supply a polygon for the basin or play you track, as a shapefile, GeoJSON or KML.
- 02pass
Monthly satellite pass
High-resolution imagery is collected over the AOI each month. A cloudy pass is skipped and picked up on the next clear opportunity.
- 03count
Count
Pads, rigs and frac spreads are detected and counted on each pass. The same counting rules apply to every month.
- 04out
Delivery
The CSV files and the chart come back for each pass. The AOI and the rules stay fixed, so the series compares from pass to pass.
03 / Operating envelope
Limits
These are the conditions under which a monthly count can read differently from the field.
| Condition | Effect on the count and what the delivery does |
|---|---|
| Monthly snapshot | A pass shows the basin on the day of the pass. A rig that moved on between passes is never seen, and delivery dates follow the imagery, not the calendar. |
| Cloud cover | A cloudy pass is skipped or pushed to the next clear opportunity. A month can arrive late or be missing from the series, and the delivery says which. |
| Half a metre is the floor | At 0.5 m a pad is the reliable unit. Rigs and frac spreads are counted where the pixels show them, and a single piece of equipment or a wellhead does not resolve. Whether a rig is working or parked is called only where the pixels show it. Otherwise it is flagged unresolved. |
| A count of what stands on the pad | The files carry no operator, no permit or spud status and no word on whether a well is producing. |
| No backfill | The index starts at your first pass. There is no history before it. |
| Onshore only | Offshore rigs are out of scope. |
04 / The job today
Why the filings are not enough on their own
You build the basin outlook from permit filings, the published rig count and what contractors and field contacts tell you. Permits show intent and post on the regulator's schedule. The rig count says nothing about pads graded ahead of the rigs or a completions crew moving between pads.
For an independent read you open imagery and count pads by hand, and next month you start over. The gap shows when the outlook is due and the filings and the field disagree.
05 / Fit
Who it's for and who it's not for
Who it's for
- Upstream research analysts at oilfield service companies who track activity by basin and want a check on the filings that repeats every month.
- Teams that chart a monthly activity series against their own forecast.
Who it's not for
- Teams that need production, reserves or well economics. This is an activity count.
- Daily or real-time rig tracking. The cadence is monthly.
- Operator-level or well-status data.
- Offshore activity.
06 / FAQ
Questions from the research desk
Does this include production data?
No. It counts pads, rigs and frac spreads and nothing else.
What happens under cloud cover?
The pass is skipped or pushed to the next clear opportunity. Monthly is the target, not a guaranteed date, and the delivery notes any gap.
Can you tell an active rig from stacked equipment?
Where the imagery shows it. A parked rig and a working one can look alike from above, so those cases come back flagged unresolved.
Does it cover offshore?
No. Onshore basins only.
How far back does the index go?
It starts at your first pass. There is no backfill.
How do we check it against our own numbers?
Every pass carries its date and the pad coordinates, so you can set the count beside the permit series, the published rig count or a field contact's list for the same month. Tell us which series you reconcile against when the basin is scoped.
Can I change the AOI later?
The index compares only while the boundary stays put. A new boundary starts a new series.
What file formats do you take and send?
A shapefile, GeoJSON or KML polygon in. CSV and a PNG chart back.
Who owns the files, and what about imagery rights?
Use and ownership terms for the delivered files are written into the contract before work starts. The imagery providers keep their own licences.
How is it priced, and how do we buy it?
Each basin is scoped and quoted on its own, so you get a written scope to take through procurement.
Send us the basin and we'll scope the monthly count.
Or ask about your basin in the .
Get started