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Frac Spread Count vs. Rig Count vs. Frac Job Count

The rig count measures drilling, the Frac Spread Count measures active completion crews, and the Frac Job Count measures completed frac jobs. They track different stages of a well, so they often move independently.

Last updated: October 28, 2026.

The three metrics at a glance

Metric What it counts Stage of the well Published by
Rig Count Active drilling rigs Drilling Baker Hughes
Frac Spread Count (FSC) Active frac crews (spreads) Completion Primary Vision
Frac Job Count (FJC) Completed frac jobs, one well on one pad Completion Primary Vision
Frac Efficiency Index (FEI) FJC divided by FSC, or jobs per active spread Completion Primary Vision

All three counts are published weekly. Definitions: What is the Frac Spread Count? and What is the Frac Job Count?

The key difference

Rig count is the drilling phase: how many wells are being drilled.
Frac Spread Count is the completion phase: how many crews are active. Frac spreads perform frac jobs.
Frac Job Count is completion output: how many jobs are finished.

Because each tracks a different stage, they can move independently of one another.

Why rig count alone is not enough

The rig count has long been used as a stand-in for future production, but it has limits:

Wells can be drilled but not completed (DUCs, drilled but uncompleted wells).
Drilling efficiency has increased substantially over time.
Completion timing can vary significantly from well to well.
Completion programs keep evolving through mechanical, chemical, and digital innovation.

As a result, the rig count alone is an incomplete read on production.

What the Frac Spread Count adds

The FSC tracks active completion crews, so it shows current activity at the stage where wells are brought online. Wells must be completed before they produce, so completion activity is the stage that comes right before new production.

What the Frac Job Count adds

The FJC measures how much work those crews are actually finishing.

• Same FSC, higher FJC: crews are completing more jobs each, which points to higher efficiency or faster completions.

• Same FSC, lower FJC: slower activity or operational constraints.

The Frac Efficiency Index

The Frac Efficiency Index (FEI) puts that comparison in one number: the Frac Job Count divided by the Frac Spread Count, or jobs per active spread.

How the metrics work together

Rig count shows the drilling pipeline.
Frac Spread Count shows active completion capacity.
Frac Job Count shows completion output.
Frac Efficiency Index shows output per crew.

Together they support better analysis of production, service demand, and basin-level activity than any single metric.

The typical sequence

Rigs drill wells.
Some drilled wells wait for completion (DUCs).
Frac spreads complete wells.
Frac jobs are counted.
Wells begin producing.

Timing gaps between these steps can create disconnects in traditional analysis.

Who needs to tell these metrics apart?

Operators planning development schedules, oilfield service companies managing fleets, investors analyzing supply and pricing, and analysts interpreting energy market trends. Relying on a single metric can lead to incomplete conclusions.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Frac Spread Count and the rig count?

The rig count measures active drilling rigs, so it tracks wells being drilled. The Frac Spread Count measures active frac crews, so it tracks wells being completed. Because wells can be drilled but not yet completed (DUCs), the two can diverge.

What is the difference between the Frac Spread Count and the Frac Job Count?

The Frac Spread Count counts active frac crews. The Frac Job Count counts completed frac jobs, where one job is one well on one pad. One measures the crews, the other measures the work they finish.

Which is a better indicator of oil and gas production, rig count or Frac Spread Count?

Neither predicts production alone. The rig count shows drilling activity. The Frac Spread Count and Frac Job Count show completion activity, the stage that comes right before a well produces. Using all three gives a fuller picture than any one.

What are DUCs?

DUCs are drilled but uncompleted wells: wells that have been drilled but not yet hydraulically fractured and completed. They are a main reason the rig count and completion activity can diverge.

What is the Frac Efficiency Index?

The Frac Efficiency Index (FEI) is Primary Vision's measure of completion efficiency, calculated as the Frac Job Count divided by the Frac Spread Count, or jobs per active spread.

Who publishes each metric?

Baker Hughes publishes the rig count. Primary Vision publishes the Frac Spread Count, the Frac Job Count, and the Frac Efficiency Index.

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