US, Canada Activity Growth Lifts Oilfield Services Outlook, RBC Says
Growing North American activity, improving pricing trends, and expanding power-generation opportunities supported a broadly positive outlook for oilfield services companies at RBC Capital Markets' energy conference, the firm said Sunday.Land drillers indicated that US activity could strengthen through 2026, with Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), Precision Drilling (PDS), and Ensign Energy Services currently operating a combined 171 rigs, including 94, 37, and 40, respectively.Representing about 32% of the US land rig fleet of 541, those companies outlined plans to add 10 to 16 rigs next year, implying an industry-wide increase of roughly 32 to 51 rigs and lifting the total count to 573 to 592 rigs by the end of 2026.Several conference participants also noted that approximately 30 idled rigs could return to service for low-single-digit millions of dollars, RBC said.Pricing trends appeared more favorable in pressure pumping than drilling, with Halliburton (HAL), Liberty Energy (LBRT), Patterson-UTI, and Trican Well Service pursuing price increases as momentum builds in the second quarter of 2026 and larger gains emerge in the second half of the year.On the drilling side, Patterson-UTI said rig pricing improved from the low $30,000-per-day range to the low- to mid-$30,000-per-day range, while Nabors Industries (NBR) expects rates to reach the mid-$30,000-per-day range as super-spec rig utilization exceeds 70%.In Canada, the rig count remained at 182, with Precision Drilling reporting record second-quarter 2026 activity levels and Ensign Energy Services expecting operations to rise from 30 rigs after spring break-up to more than 50 rigs during the third quarter of 2026.While disruptions persisted in Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar, activity in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE continued at a more normalized pace, and Enerflex (EFXT) pursued expansion opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, RBC said.International growth opportunities continued to expand, with Halliburton securing a multi-billion-dollar pressure pumping contract from YPF in Argentina, while Venezuela remained a longer-term opportunity highlighted by Halliburton, Weatherford International (WFRD), Ensign Energy Services, and Baker Hughes (BKR).Power generation emerged as another major theme, with Liberty Energy, Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI), and Enerflex evaluating more than 21 gigawatts of opportunities, as data center demand and grid constraints support behind-the-meter projects.Although investors generally support the bullish case for energy services because of stronger commodity prices, Middle East supply disruptions, and favorable producer outlooks, many remain cautious while awaiting further developments in the Iran conflict, RBC said.