Capstar Drilling

What Capstar Drilling does

Capstar Drilling, Inc. is a private US land drilling contractor founded in 1984 by Jim Brazeal and Jerry Coleman and currently operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oil States International (OIS). The company provides land-based oil and gas drilling services to exploration and production operators, operating a fleet of nine semi-automatic single top-head drive drilling rigs across the Rocky Mountain region, including Utah, Montana, and Wyoming. Capstar's rig fleet comprises three product lines: the Elenburg 6000 (400 HP, 7,000 ft depth rating), the CSD-500 (500 HP, 11,000 ft), and the CSD-750 (750 HP, 13,000 ft), with the proprietary CSD rigs originally constructed at the company's Odessa, Texas facility.

The company's core technology centers on fit-for-purpose single top-head drive rigs designed as a lower-cost alternative to traditional box-on-box rigs. These rigs require smaller drilling locations, which reduce site preparation costs for operators before the rig arrives, and the semi-automatic design enables faster spud-to-spud cycle times. Capstar is positioned for development drilling of vertical, directional, and horizontal wells up to 15,000 feet total measurable depth, with stated operational strength in shallower wells under 12,000 feet.

Capstar generates revenue through project-based drilling contracts priced by depth rating, well type, and geographic location. Its go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales to oil and gas operators, with no digital sales infrastructure and limited marketing presence (LinkedIn, YouTube, and a corporate website). Since a 2019 strategic refocus, the company has concentrated its 9-rig fleet exclusively on the Rocky Mountain region, having previously operated in the Permian Basin, West Texas, and Ohio. The company has 51-100 employees and is headquartered in Casper, Wyoming. Historical ownership transitions include a late-1990s acquisition by SCF Partners, the 2001 acquisition by OIS, and the 2006 acquisition of Elenburg Exploration which expanded the Rocky Mountain footprint.

Name

Capstar Drilling

Legal name

Capstar Drilling, Inc.

Website

https://capstardrilling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Capstar Drilling is a private US land drilling contractor operating nine semi-automatic top-head drive rigs in the Rocky Mountain region for oil and gas operators. The OIS subsidiary provides fit-for-purpose drilling services for vertical, directional, and horizontal wells up to 15,000 feet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oil & Gas Land Drilling Services

NAICS

Drilling Oil and Gas Wells (213111), Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333132), Support Activities for Mining (2131)

SIC

Drilling Oil & Gas Wells (1381), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)

akta.pro primary industry

Drilling & Workover Rigs (Land & Offshore) (EUALABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Well Construction & Completion Services (Cementing, Casing, Tubular Running) (EUALABAC)

Keywords

• Land drilling services
• Oil and gas drilling
• Drilling rig contractor
• Well drilling services
• Oilfield drilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Casper

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Land Drilling Services: Providing land drilling services to oil and gas operators. Revenue generated through drilling contracts for vertical, directional and horizontal wells. Services priced per project based on depth rating, well type, and geographic location.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Capstar Drilling provides land-based drilling services to oil and gas operators in the U.S. Rocky Mountain region using a fleet of nine semi-automatic top-head drive drilling rigs. The company contracts drilling capacity to drill vertical, directional, and horizontal wells up to 15,000 feet total measurable depth, with rigs ranging from 400 HP to 750 HP in capacity. Services are tailored for development drilling efficiency, with pricing quoted per project based on depth, well type, and geography.

Product overview

Capstar Drilling is a land drilling contractor operating a fleet of nine semi-automatic drilling rigs across the Rocky Mountain region. The company offers three distinct drilling rig product lines: the Elenburg 6000 series (400 HP, 7,000 ft depth capacity), the CSD-500 series (500 HP, 11,000 ft depth capacity), and the CSD-750 series (750 HP, 13,000 ft depth capacity). All rigs utilize single top-head drive design, providing a fit-for-purpose alternative to traditional box rigs. The company specializes in development drilling for vertical, directional, and horizontal wells, focusing on overall rig efficiency from spud to spud to deliver lower total drilling costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elenburg 6000 Drilling Rig

Quantifiable outcome

• Drilling capability up to 15,000 feet total measurable depth
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Elenburg ExplorationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006In 2006, OIS acquired a Rocky Mountain Division for Capstar known as Elenburg Exploration, a Casper, Wyoming based drilling company with 8 similar drilling rigs. The company was owned by the Elenburg family since 1966 and managed by Nick Wendland. This brought additional experience and expanded Capstar's Rocky Mountain presence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Oil States International: Parent company of Capstar and a diversified oilfield services provider with broad offerings including wellsite services, downhole tools, and offshore products. Overlaps in oilfield services space but operates at much larger scale with diversified portfolio.

Direct peers

• Bronco Drilling: Smaller US land drilling contractor providing drilling services to oil and gas operators. Comparable scale and operational model to Capstar as a focused regional drilling contractor.
• ProPetro Holding: Oilfield services provider focused on completion services in the Permian Basin. Adjacent land-focused services business serving the same Rocky Mountain/Permian operator customer base.
• RPC Inc. Oilfield services company providing drilling and pressure pumping services across US basins. Comparable land drilling service offering and customer base.
• Cactus Drilling: Private land drilling contractor focused on the Permian Basin with a modern high-spec rig fleet. Similar private, focused contractor model and comparable rig design approach.
• Unit Corporation: Diversified energy company with a land drilling segment operating drilling rigs in the US. Directly comparable land drilling contractor serving similar operator customers.
• Helmerich & Payne: Largest US land drilling contractor with a FlexRig fleet of top-drive rigs comparable to Capstar's design philosophy. Competes for the same onshore drilling contracts across major US basins including the Rockies.
• Patterson-UTI Energy: Major US land drilling contractor operating hundreds of rigs across multiple basins. Directly comparable land drilling service offering and customer base (oil & gas operators).
• Precision Drilling: Large North American land drilling contractor with extensive super-spec rig fleet. Competes for the same development drilling contracts across US shale basins.
• Nabors Industries: Global drilling contractor with significant US land operations. Directly competes in providing drilling rigs and crews to oil and gas operators across multiple US basins.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CapstarDrilling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capstar-drilling-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Capstar Drilling