North Dakota crude output is set to climb in the coming months as operators ramp up activity, a state regulator said Tuesday. The move comes as oil prices surge, prompting firms to boost production from existing wells while holding back on new drilling amid price volatility linked to the Iran conflict. The third‑largest U.S. oil‑producing state is seeing a shift in strategy. Operators are focusing on optimizing current wells rather than expanding the drilling fleet, a decision driven by the time lag between drilling and first oil and the uncertainty surrounding the war. U.S. oil prices on Tuesday were trading around $93.63 a barrel, up about $4.02, while oil for delivery roughly six months from now was trading around $76.50 a barrel, 17% higher than before the war began in late February. There are currently 10 hydraulic fracturing crews operating in the state, and one operator is set to add an additional rig and frac crew in July. Workover rig deployment rose 13%, from 110 to 125, as operators look to optimize existing production. Oil production in North Dakota rose by 4,000 barrels per day to 1.13 million barrels per day in February. Since the start of the current war, U.S. crude futures have traded at a high of $119.48 a barrel on March 9 and a low of $69.20 on March 2. According to Nathan Anderson, Director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources , "When the Iran conflict happened, those operators that had curtailed or shut in production during the low price environment started to bring that production online." Anderson added that March production is expected to rise. He also said, "Drilling rigs is a different story… I think operators are cautious to pick up rig activity because they don’t understand the duration of this."