Drill rig workers in the Permian basin, Texas. Permian Basin adds 11 rigs to total 229, D-J/Niobrara adds 2 Future gains hinge on oil price, Dakota Access pipeline Growing confidence that crude prices will rise in coming months is sustaining the expansion of oil drilling in the shale patch. Rigs targeting crude rose 19 to 471 this week, the biggest increase in the last 16 months, according to Baker Hughes Inc. data reported Friday. Shale drillers have now added 155 rigs since an expansion started at the end of May. Natural gas rigs rose by 1 to 116, bringing the total for oil and gas up by 20 to 588. Crude prices hovering near $45 should keep rig gains in check, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Andrew Cosgrove and William Foiles. Oil has fallen 13 percent since peaking near $52 last month as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries […]