Company Description
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTEN) is an energy services company in the drilling oil and gas wells industry within the broader mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector. According to the company’s public statements, Patterson-UTI is a provider of drilling and completion services to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States and other select countries.
The company’s activities focus on contract drilling services, integrated well completion services and directional drilling services in the United States. Patterson-UTI also offers specialized drill bit solutions, including products associated with its Ulterra drill bits business, in the United States, the Middle East and various other regions. These services and products are aimed at supporting customers’ drilling and completion programs in onshore oil and gas basins.
Business segments and services
Based on available descriptions, Patterson-UTI operates under several reportable business segments:
- Drilling services – contract drilling services and directional drilling services in U.S. onshore oil and gas basins.
- Completion services – integrated well completion services that support oil and natural gas exploration and production companies.
- Drilling products – drilling products and specialized drill bit solutions, including Ulterra drill bits.
The company has stated that it provides directional drilling services and tool rental services in United States onshore oil and gas basins. Its drilling products segment has reported activity in the United States, Canada and international markets such as Saudi Arabia, and the company notes established drill bit business in Argentina.
Geographic footprint
Patterson-UTI describes itself as serving customers in the United States and other select countries. In its public communications, the company highlights:
- Contract drilling, integrated well completion and directional drilling services in the United States.
- Specialized drill bit solutions in the United States, the Middle East and many other regions around the world.
- Drilling products, including Ulterra drill bits, in Argentina.
In a recent announcement, Patterson-UTI disclosed a multi-year agreement to lease two high-spec APEX 1500 drilling rigs from its existing U.S. fleet to DLS Archer Ltd. S.A. for use in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta formation. The company characterized this as an expansion of its international presence that complements its existing drilling products position in Argentina.
Operational activity
Patterson-UTI regularly reports average drilling rigs operating in the United States. These monthly updates define average drilling rigs operating as the average number of the company’s drilling rigs that were earning revenue under a drilling contract in the United States for the period reported. The company cautions that factors beyond rig count can affect operating results, and that trends in rig counts may not directly indicate trends in financial performance.
In its segment disclosures, the company has described:
- Drilling Services segment activity measured by U.S. contract drilling operating days and average rigs working.
- Completion Services segment activity related to hydraulic fracturing fleets, including natural gas-powered assets and automation technologies deployed across pumping fleets.
- Drilling Products segment performance in the United States, Canada and international markets, with specific reference to Ulterra drill bits.
Market role in drilling and completions
According to third-party description data, Patterson-UTI is one of the substantial land rig drilling contractors in the United States. A prior merger with NexTier expanded its pressure pumping operations, and that description notes that the firm controls a significant share of the North American market for drilling and completions services. Within this context, the company’s three main reportable segments — drilling services, completion services and drilling products — frame its role in the onshore oilfield services value chain.
The company’s public commentary also references technology used to deliver drilling and completion results, including automated controls across pumping fleets and natural gas-powered fracturing assets in its completion services segment. These references underscore an emphasis on operational performance in drilling and completion activities.
Stock information and regulatory reporting
Patterson-UTI’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol PTEN. The company files reports and current event disclosures with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Forms 8-K that cover quarterly financial results, investor presentations and certain changes in directors and officers.
For example, the company has filed current reports on Form 8-K to furnish quarterly financial results for periods ended September 30, 2025, to provide investor presentation materials, and to disclose director changes, such as the resignation of a director following confirmation to a U.S. government position. These filings illustrate the types of information investors may review when evaluating PTEN stock and Patterson-UTI’s operations.
Corporate developments
In its public filings, Patterson-UTI has disclosed changes in senior leadership roles, including promotion of an executive to Chief Operating Officer, and changes to its Board of Directors in connection with public service appointments. The company has also furnished investor presentations via Form 8-K and announced conference calls and webcasts to discuss quarterly financial results.
These activities, combined with regular operational updates on drilling rig activity and segment-level commentary in earnings materials, provide investors and analysts with insight into Patterson-UTI’s drilling services, completion services and drilling products businesses within the drilling oil and gas wells industry.