The number of rigs actively exploring for or producing oil and gas in North Dakota held steady for the third straight week, state data show. The North Dakota Industrial Commission reports 68 rigs in service as of Monday , unchanged for the last three weeks. Rig counts serve as a barometer for the health of an energy sector burdened by depressed crude oil prices, down roughly 45 percent from this time last year. The price for West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark for crude oil prices, of $44.60 per barrel is down about 8 percent from the start of October. Year-on-year, the number of rigs in service in North Dakota, the No. 2 oil producer in the nation, is down 65 percent. In terms […]