213111

Analysis

NAICS 213111 is the 2022 national industry for drilling oil and gas wells, part of 21311 (Support Activities for Mining). Census lists 18 example activities under it in the official index.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 22% and employment fell 22%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.

County Business Patterns counts 1,786 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 54,211 people at an average annual payroll of $99,045 per employee (84th percentile of national industries). 55% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include directional drilling of oil and gas wells on a contract…, drilling directional oil and gas field wells on a contract…, drilling for gas on a contract basis and drilling for oil on a contract basis, among 18 in all.

For example, performing exploration (except geophysical surveying and mapping) services for oil and gas on a contract or fee basis are classified in 213112 (Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations) instead.

Census lists 2 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 213112 and 541360. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.